NCRPO urges cop accused of detainee rape to surrender

MANILA, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Alan Purisima told yesterday a policeman accused of raping a vendor in the Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters on Dec. 31, 2010 to surrender or “face the full force of the law.”

Police Officer 3 Antonio Bautista Jr. should “face the consequences of his actions. We will hunt him down if he fails to surface,” Purisima said.

The NCRPO director said he formed two police teams to go after Bautista, who is reportedly hiding in a province near Metro Manila.

Purisima is coordinating with Bautista’s relatives to convince him to surrender and “face the music.”

Earlier this year, Bautista surrendered to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, saying he “does not have faith” in his colleagues. De Lima ordered him released because he was not yet charged of any crime when he surrendered.

Bautista went into hiding again after Judge Marivic Balisi Umali of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 20 issued a warrant for his arrest on March 30 and ordered that he be held without bail.