US judge set to decide on Strunk extradition

A US district judge is set to decide next week on the extradition of American Rod Strunk to the Philippines to face charges for the killing of his wife, actress Nida Blanca.

This is the latest information received by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from the US prosecutor handling the extradition proceeding against Strunk.

"We heard the judge will decide the extradition by Oct. 17," a source from the NBI said.

Sacramento District of California Judge Gregory Hallows of Branch 24 is handling the extradition of Strunk on request of the Philippine government so he can face murder charges against him for killing Blanca, Dorothy Jones in real life.

The NBI has tagged Strunk as the mastermind in the murder of Blanca after the actress decided to disinherit him.

Blanca was found dead inside her car parked at the sixth floor of Atlanta Center in San Juan last Nov. 7, 2001. The multi-awarded actress had 13 stab wounds.

Follow-up operations led to the arrest of Philip Medel Jr., who admitted killing Blanca on instruction of Strunk.

However, Medel later recanted and claimed police tortured him into admitting to the slay. – Cecille Suerte Felipe