Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday offered a P1 million reward for the arrest of the gunman who shot and killed a police officer whose body was later found dumped inside a septic tank in Malolos, Bulacan.

Remulla made the announcement during a press briefing at Camp Crame, where he identified the victim as Police Staff Sergeant Renato Casauay Jr., 46, a member of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit 3.

The body of Casauay was discovered early Saturday morning, 31 January, inside a septic tank in Felicissima Village, Barangay Mojon, nearly a week after he was reported missing.

Remulla described the slain officer as a highly regarded operative.

“He is a decorated, very noted sa kanyang trabaho,” Remulla said.

He added that Casauay had been working on illegal drug distribution cases in Bulacan, which may have angered drug syndicates operating in the area.

Police Regional Office 3 Director Ponce Rogelio Peñones Jr., who joined Remulla at the briefing, said authorities have arrested four suspects, including a police corporal assigned to the Malolos City Police Station.

“Apat yung arrested natin but we still have seven at large suspect included in the filing of case. Na-inquest na po ito,” Peñones said.

Peñones identified the police officer as Corporal Bibancio Abalos, whom he said concealed the incident and failed to arrest or report the main suspect despite being informed of the crime.

According to Peñones, the gunman was identified as Julian Salamat, a member of the Black Riders Force Multipliers, a civic group that assists police operations in the province. Salamat allegedly confessed the crime to Abalos.

“On January 24 at about 8:30, birthday po ito mismo nung ating victim si Staff Sergeant Casauay. He asked permission from his wife na siya ay pupunta sa Malolos to meet an asset (police informant). And nangyari po hindi na po siya nakabalik. That's why the following day, his wife reported to Baliwag City Police Station that his husband was missing,” Peñones said.

“On January 30, because of this investigation, we learned that one of our policeman in Malolos Bulacan meron siyang kinalaman doon sa insidente. Because remember, this January 24 nawala si Casauay dito ay binaril. Binaril ito doon sa isang compound and the gunman, Julian Salamat together with another witness went to Corporal Abalos. Binanggit niya lahat na pangyayari. So nadiskubre natin yan January 30 na,” he added.

“So makikita mo dito yung talagang deliberate yung pag-conceal ni Abalos nung insidente. Dapat nung 24 pa lang nung hapon nung nag-report sa kanya dapat inaresto niya dapat si Salamat. And ini-report sa kanyang Chief of Police which he didn't do. Ang ginawa niya pinabayaan niya lang makaalis si yung gunman si Julian Salamat,” Peñones said.

Casauay’s body was recovered with multiple gunshot wounds and was already in a state of decomposition.

“And from the crime scene, we recovered empty shell and based from the SOCO report, Corporal Casauay meron siyang tatlong tama ng baril, isa sa ulo at dalawa sa kamay. So makikita natin na parang sinasangga niya. So ang primary suspect dito si Julian Salamat. We also arrested the owner of the place nung bahay in the person of Oliver Mauricio. dahil alam niya yung pangyayari doon mismo nangyari sa lugar niya and hindi niya rin na-report ito,” Peñones said.

Remulla said investigators believe the slain officer may have stumbled upon individuals deeply involved in the illegal drug trade, prompting the killing.

“According to yung records namin nung December 24 ay may operation si Casauayway na nag-result sa 50 grams na parang kasama sa operation nitong Salamat,” Remulla said.

“May current manhunt operation kami. mahahanap mahahanap din naman yan. Kaya nga naglagay na kami ng 1million price tag para sa capture ni Salamat,” he added.