MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said that the fugitive ex-Army major general Jovito Palparan has sent “surrender feelers” to authorities.

"There are ‘surrender feelers,’ but there is no indication of the exact date as to when he is going to surrender. Other than that we cannot give you the details," De Lima said in an ambush interview.

But De Lima said the manhunt by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) against the former military official continues.

She said that she will meet with Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to discuss the possibility of dangling a bounty above Palparan's head for the immediate arrest of the former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) official.

"The manhunt is ongoing because his surrender has not materialized yet," she said.

When asked on earlier reports that Palparan is already out of the country, De Lima refuted such information as she said that the retired military officer was recently spotted somewhere in Luzon.

Another proof that Palparan is still hiding in the country was the “surrender feelers” he had sent to authorities, through his emissaries.

"As of now, there's no indication or report that he is out of the country. Mahihirapan siya kasi nakalook-out naman ang lahat," she said.

She warned those coddling Palparan to turn over Palparan to authorities.