P500,000 reward for Cervantes’ killers

A P500,000 reward has been put up by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the arrest of fugitive Senior Superintendent Rafael Cardeno for the murder of Baron Cervantes, self-styled spokesman of the Young Officer’s Union (YOU), last year.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Joey Lina said P500,000 each will be given as a reward to any person "who furnishes information leading to the surrender, arrest, capture or neutralization of wanted person(s) Cardeno…" and another suspect identified as Santiago Camacho, who have been charged for murder under criminal case docketed at the Parañaque Regional Trial Court.

According to PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, the reward was put up against Cardeno and Camacho after the Cervantes family complained that the PNP is dragging its foot in arresting the mastermind and the other suspects in Baron’s murder.

After being informed about the latest development, Baron’s parents Rac and his wife, Carol Cervantes, expressed gratitude to Lina and PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. for hearing the family’s request. "This is a very good development. We’d like to thank Gen. Ebdane about it. We are happy it (reward) is finally out. We understand the procedural matters that this had to go through," said Rac, referring to the offer of reward.

But Cervantes noted that the amount was too small for Cardeno’s head, adding a P1-million reward could be more "appealing" to would-be tipsters on the suspects’ whereabouts.

The Cervantes family also thanked President Arroyo that their appeal did not fall on deaf ears.

Ebdane also assured the Cervantes family that the PNP will exert all efforts to arrest Cardeno and his accomplices immediately, and directed PNP director for intelligence Chief Superintendent Robert Delfin to lead in the arrest of the police fugitive. "I have ordered all intelligence units to join the manhunt," Delfin said.

Bataoil said the PNP had also coordinated with the intelligence units of the Armed Forces of the Philippppines (AFP) in launching the manhunt against Cardeno.

Cervantes was gunned down on Dec. 31 last year infront of a 24-hour convenience store along Alabang-Zapote Road in Las Piñas, Muntinlupa. Agents of the defunct National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF) arrested gunman Joseph Mostrales and two others in connection of the controversial murder case.