P1-M bounty for arrest of Baron slay suspects?

Task Force Baron commander, Chief Superintendent Romeo Maganto, said the reward money for the arrest of fugitive police officer Rafael Cardeno should be increased to P1 million.

"It should be at least P1 million. I will make this suggestion to the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government)," Maganto told reporters during a Mass commemorating the first death anniversary of self-styled spokesperson of the Young Officers Union (YOU) Baron Cervantes last Tuesday.

Maganto had been the personal choice of the Cervantes family as stated in their letter to President Arroyo requesting that a task force be created to speed up the arrest of Cardeno.

Cardeno has been tagged as the mastermind in the killing of Cervantes a year ago in Las Piñas City.

The Cervantes’ family lawyer, Leonard de Vera, also expressed disappointment over the P500,000 reward money put up by the DILG and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

De Vera also described the P500,000 reward as a "token reward" and said it should have at least been a million pesos.

"The P500,000 is not enough. They should have factored in the risk placed on the life of the informer. Paano kung ipapatay siya? Is the informer’s life worth only half a million?" De Vera asked.

For his part, Cervantes’ father, Roque, said he is certain that the PNP has leads on the whereabouts of Cardeno.

They should know where he is with the vast resources of the PNP," the elder Cervantes said.

He added that the family is still trying to adjust, but the bitterness is still there, a year after his son was killed.

Warrants of arrest for Cardeno and his cohorts have been issued by Judge Bonifacio Maceda. – Nikko Dizon