THE suspect in the killing of the estranged father of international singing sensation Charice Pempengco yesterday surrendered to a Cavite municipal mayor claiming he merely acted in self-defense when he stabbed the victim to death.

Angel Capili Jr. turned himself over to General Trias, Cavite Mayor Luis Ferrer who in turn brought him to Cavite Police Provincial Office director Senior Supt. John Bulalacao past 2 p.m. The suspect who was clad in a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans was later turned over to Laguna police director Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz.

The suspect was set to be temporarily held at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame pending his transfer to a Cavite provincial jail.

Ferrer said the suspect voluntarily surrendered to local barangay officials who immediately presented Capili to him. “He merely asked that he and his family’s safety be guaranteed,” the mayor said.

According to the mayor, Capili told him he did not know Ricky Pempengco personally and was forced to stab him with an ice-pick when the victim suddenly punched him.

“The suspect claimed self-defense. He said he only learned that the man he stabbed was the  father of Charice when he saw the news on TV,” Mayor Ferrer said. A P200,000 reward had been offered for any information that would lead to the suspect’s arrest.

Cruz said that Capili asked that he not be harmed during questioning.

“He also called for a fair investigation which we assured,” the official said.

The suspect’s surrender came after Cruz said they had stepped-up their  hunt for the suspect whom he claimed had sent word to his wife about his plan to surrender.

Cruz said four tracker teams had been tasked to locate Capili who was said to be hiding somewhere in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region.

San Pedro Municipal Police Station chief, Supt. Kirby Kraft said Capili’s wife confirmed that her husband had sent her a message about his plan to surrender peacefully after learning of the P200,000 reward for his arrest.

Capili was identified by witnesses as the man who fatally attacked Pempengco’s 43-year-old father. The suspect will be facing murder charges.

Pempengco, after returning to Manila from Jakarta, Indonesia where she announced that she would be canceling her Singapore concert, immediately went to the wake of her father and called on authorities to help them attain justice.

“Gusto ko iparating ang mensahe ko, kung sino ang gumawa nito sa daddy ko na sana mabigyan ng justice... hindi lang para sa daddy ko pero para sa ibang tao rin," Charice told radio station DzBB.