Video from NBI-NCR

MANILA - Authorities have arrested the alleged gunman in the fatal shooting of Oriental Mindoro radio broadcaster Cresenciano Bunduquin, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.

DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano identified the suspect as Isabelo Bautista Jr. Clavano said Bautista was served arrest warrants issued by the presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 39 in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro last Friday, July 7.

Before the arrest, Bautista "succumbed to the pressures and eventually voluntarily submitted himself for investigation to the NBI-NCR on June 27, 2023," the justice official said.

The alleged gunman, who is facing murder and attempted murder charges for the killing of Bunduquin and the shooting against the broadcaster's son, is detained at a National Bureau of Investigation detention facility.

"The appropriate Return of the Warrant of Arrest is already prepared and will be transmitted to the court in the soonest possible time," Clavano said.

Before his demise, Bunduquin hosted a program on radio station 101.7 DWXR as well as on Facebook, said station manager Jester Joaquin, who described the broadcaster as "hard-hitting" on local issues.

He had been outspoken about a recent oil spill affecting the province, illegal gambling, and politics, despite receiving death threats.

Investigators are looking into Bunduquin's work or a personal quarrel as possible motives for the killing, Oriental Mindoro Provincial police chief Col. Samuel Delorino said earlier.

• Person of interest identified in Mindoro broadcaster's killing: police

Bunduquin is the third journalist to be killed since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office last June.

The latest killing comes less than a year after radio personality Percival Mabasa was shot dead in Manila as he drove to his studio.