The P1-million bounty for the arrest of four leftist leaders could increase to P2 million, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said on Sunday.
Topacio was reacting to the statement of militant leaders on Saturday that the bounty offer was a 鈥渃heap publicity stunt.鈥�
鈥淪abi po ni Ka Nato (Renato) Reyes, di ba kaibigan natin iyan, na cheap publicity stunt daw po yung P1 million. Titingnan po natin kung dadagdagan pa natin (Ka Nato said the reward offer of P1 million was a cheap publicity stunt. We are looking to increase the amount),鈥� Topacio said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.
鈥淜ung para sa kanya ay cheap yung P1 million, gawin siguro nating P2 million, titingnan natin kung may magdodonate (If it is cheap, then maybe we can increase it to P2 million. Let鈥檚 see if someone will come forward to donate),鈥� he added.
The P1 million offer was donated by seven 鈥渃oncerned citizens鈥� and would be used to arrest former Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casi帽o of Bayan Muna, Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, and Liza Maza of Gabriela.
Topacio said on Saturday that the 鈥渃oncerned citizens鈥� would pay P250,000 for the arrest of each militant leader.
READ: Lawyer dangles P1-M bounty for capture of 4 militant execs聽
Both Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate slammed the move, saying it was a 鈥渓ame鈥� and 鈥渃heap鈥� political stunt.
鈥淭he reward money for the arrest of Satur, Liza, Teddy, and Paeng is nothing but a lame publicity stunt that unfortunately endangers the lives of the four accused,鈥� Reyes said in a statement.
READ: Bayan exec slams Topacio鈥檚 P1-M bounty offer as 鈥榣ame publicity stunt鈥�
鈥淭his is evidently a cheap political stunt and vendetta by sycophants who want to claw their way to power. If anything untoward happens to our Makabayan leaders, we will hold [lawyer Ferdinand] Topacio, et al, directly responsible,鈥� Zarate said in a separate statement. /ee
READ: Zarate: Reward offer for info on 4 militant leaders a 鈥榗heap political stunt鈥�