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Friday, September 16, 2005
Dipolog media lauds arrest of slay suspect
By Ryan Rosauro
Ozamiz Correspondent
OZAMIZ CITY -- Journalists in Dipolog City expressed "great relief" over the arrest of one of the three suspects in the killing of hard-hitting radio commentator Klein Cantoneros.
Dennis Baguio, a reporter for local newspaper Mindanao Observer, said the arrest of 32-year-old Robert Woo alias Wangyo is "an indication that the case's resolution process is indeed moving."
"It is a great relief. Our expectation is now turned at a higher gear, which is an eventual identification of the killing's mastermind," said Baguio, who is also a colleague of Cantoneros in DxAA-FM in Dipolog City.
Woo was arrested around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in his residence at Barangay Santa Isabel by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Senior Supt. Julmunir Jubail, chief of the Philippine National Police's Task Force Cantoneros, told Dipolog media from Zamboanga City on Wednesday that Woo is positively identified by a witness as among the three men aboard a motorcycle that raced down the motorcycle-riding Cantoneros moments before he was shot.
Another witness also identified Woo as casing Cantoneros at 8 Food Park, a local restaurant, on the evening of May 3, just prior to the incident.
Woo was arrested on the force of a warrant issued by a Dipolog regional trial court last Sept. 9 indicating his name and two other unnamed suspects.
When presented to the media by Supt. Tomas Hizon, Dipolog police chief, and Mayor Roberto Uy, Woo denied involvement in the crime.
Speaking over local radio, Woo's family also strongly insisted on his innocence of the charges.
During Wednesday's press conference, Uy also unveiled a P100,000 reward for those who gave information leading to Woo's arrest.
The reward will be given once Woo is meted conviction by court, Uy said.
Several days after Cantoneros's death, Woo's name already floated as among the possible suspects along with another individual.
"The investigation of the case is clearly heading in the appropriate direction," Baguio noted.
Without work at the time of his arrest, Woo is a former element of Task Force Lupad, an anti-crime group of the local government of Dapitan City, Task Force Cantoneros said.
Cantoneros was shot at dawn of May 4, just hours after the international media community observed World Press Freedom Day. He was homebound when chanced upon by assailants in Santa Filomena, Dipolog City.
He later died after a 22-hour battle to survive in a local private hospital.
(September 16, 2005 issue)
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