THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) extends full support to investigations in the killing of a former employee and offers reward for the solution of the case, according to NIA administrator Eduardo Guillen.
At the same time, Guillen urged the public and the media to verify information before making allegations online.
Guillen disclosed that NIA has offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of killers of Kyle Antatic, who was recently gunned down in Cagayan de Oro City.
“Our agency is cooperating with authorities to solve the case,” he said during a public briefing.
“We even offered reward money to encourage witnesses to come forward,” Guillen added.
He warned against the spread of unverified claims on social media, noting that the agency’s reputation can be quickly damaged by premature or false reports.
“We appeal to the public and media to validate and verify news before posting. Listen to the agency’s side first,” Guillen added.
Guillen also confirmed that Antatico had previously mentioned receiving death threats, including during a flag ceremony in NIA Region X. However, he clarified that Antatico had raised concerns involving multiple government agencies, not only NIA.
According to Guillen, initial updates from the special investigation task force indicate that there are already persons of interest in the case.
“We are encouraged by this development and pray for a swift resolution to bring justice to Kyle and his family,” he said.
Antatico, a former senior legal researcher for NIA, had exposed various alleged corruption in the agency, including alleged “ghost” infrastructure projects.
Guillen said that NIA had addressed the issues Antatico raised internally and that staff who engaged with him believed their working relationship remained civil.
