Thai police hand over wanted man

Manila:  A Filipino businessman implicated in the murder of two half-brothers seven years ago arrived in Manila on Saturday, after he was sent back by Thai authorities on June 8.

Jose Maria "Bong" Panlilio, who was listed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the country's most wanted criminal, was turned over by Thai authorities to the custody of the PNP yon Saturday morning at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

Panlilio had been the subject of an arrest order issued by a local court in Calamba City, south of Manila, several years ago for his alleged role in the July 2003 robbery and murder of Albert Gutierrez, 41, and Ariel Real, 38.

While Panlilio was wanted by Philippine authorities for the murder and robbery of Gutierrez and Real, his June 8 arrest in Bangkok was based on an alert issued by Interpol to international law enforcement agencies.

The businessman had initially been booked by Thai authorities for violating immigration laws after it was found that he had used several passports. These documents had enabled him to move within countries and evade arrest.