Manila cop accused of rape surrenders to DOJ chief

The Manila policeman accused of raping a 30-year-old vendor inside the Manila police headquarters in December surrendered to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday. De Lima, in a chance interview, said relatives of Police Officer 3 Antonio Bautista asked her to place him under "protective custody." Bautista is now under the protective custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. De Lima said Bautista feared for his safety because of the bounty raised against him. "Dito sa akin nag-surrender at dito nagpapalagay ng protective custody. Hindi pwede patulong sa MPD kasi MPD ang nagtutugis sa kanya," she said in a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation, aired on dzBB radio. (He surrendered to me because he could not approach the Manila Police District, which had started a manhunt for him.)

However, De Lima said it is up to Bautista's lawyers to advise him whether to cooperate in the preliminary investigation in his case. "The brother talked to me and told me ako ang choice ni PO3 na mag-surrender daw. Sabi ko I can only facilitate the surrender," De Lima said. (A brother of Bautista talked to me and told me he wanted to surrender to me. I said I can only facilitate the surrender.) The MPD earlier offered P100,000 for leads on Bautista, who had gone absent without leave (AWOL) after being accused of raping a vendor detained in MPD headquarters. Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla vowed no letup in their search for Bautista, who until Friday remained at large after going AWOL. – with Amita Legaspi, VVP, GMANews.TV