Mayor Hagedorn releases P250K reward to City Police for massacre suspect's fall

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn has released half of the P500,000 reward money offered for the arrest of suspects in the Paiton massacre.

Hagedorn awarded the P250,000 to investigators and informants who helped in the massacre probe that led to the arrest of one of the main suspects in the murder.

“Sinadya naming kalahati muna ang ibigay para sipagin pa ang iba na ituro ang nalalaman nilang salarin para mabilis na maresolba ang kaso” Hagedorn said before members of the press.

The reward will be divided to the elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) - Task Force Paiton and informants identified only as “Jennifer,\" “Roger,\" tricycle driver “Apolinar,\" “Jocjoc,\" and another female. The informants are now all under protective custody by the police.

Former Navy Lt. Commander Ernesto Paiton, his wife Chief Petty Officer Carmelita Paiton, daughter-nurse Erlita Paiton and relatives Sharon and Renato Cabatuan were massacred last August 9.

The victims were found dead inside their house. The bodies were discovered hogtied, stabbed and with slashed throats.

Police recently arrested Florencio Magada, a former farm caretaker of the Paitons in Puerto Princesa City. Magada is said to the primary suspect in the massacre. Four other suspects remain at large and are now the subjects of manhunt operations.

Meanwhile, Task Force Paiton said a court order has been issued to Globe Telecoms to provide records of mobile phone calls of Chief Petty Officer Paiton. It will be used as part of the evidence in the ongoing investigation.

City Information Office / C. Catimpo