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Monday, April 11, 2005
Suspect in killing of journalist nabbed
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- One of the suspects in the murder of journalist Marlene Garcia-Esperat was arrested by authorities in Tagum City Saturday, a day before members of a Paris-based international media freedom watchdog arrived in Tacurong City to investigate the killing.
Davao del Norte police director Jaime Morente confirmed the arrest of the suspect last Saturday but did not reveal further details saying it was the Region 12 police who led the operation.
Chief Superintendent Antonio Billones, Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 director, said no less than their superiors from Camp Crame supervised the operation.
The still unidentified suspect is now under police custody and is undergoing tactical interrogation. Police authorities said they are now running after the mastermind behind Esperat's death.
Investigation
On Sunday, the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF or Reporters Without Borders) arrived in Tacurong City to investigate the murder of Esperat.
Vincent Brossel, RSF Asia-Pacific Desk director, was to meet with Esperat's family and colleagues in the local media, as well as the police investigating the case.
"After the terrible killing of Miss Esperat, we believe it is important to come to visit her family, colleagues and monitor the investigation," Brossel said by e-mail.
Before the Tacurong mission, Brossel said they would meet with officials of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Manila-based press freedom watchdogs, to discuss press-related issues in the Philippines.
The RSF representatives will also talk with Maximo Quindao, publisher and editor of the Tagum City-based Mindanao Truck News, somewhere in Manila.
Quindao survived an assassination attempt late January when gunmen shot him four times just as he was emerging from his office.
Meantime, Valmie Garcia-Mariveles, elder sister of Esperat, called on authorities to expedite the investigation of the late former Department of Agriculture whistle-blower turned journalist. "We are crying for justice on her death," said Mariveles, who is based in General Santos City.
Charges
Mariveles said the family is ready to cooperate in the coming fact-finding mission of the RSF representatives.
In an earlier interview, Superintendent Danilo Galapon, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 12 chief, said they are expecting "positive developments" in the Esperat murder "in the next few days." He did not elaborate.
"We are intensely focusing our efforts on this particular case," he said in a separate telephone interview.
CIDG 12 has been designated the lead agency to probe the murder of Esperat, who was shot dead in the head in front of her children last Maundy Thursday in their house in Purok Ilang-Ilang, Barangay New Isabela.
Galapon said they have filed murder charges before the Tacurong City prosecutor's office against "Jake" and four John Does last April 5.
Witnesses identified "Jake" as the one often seen in Esperat's "sari-sari" store days before the attack, according to Galapon.
He added that aside from "Jake," who served as lookout, and the gunman who barged into the Esperat residence, there were three other accomplices in carrying out the plot.
Esperat is the third journalist murdered this year in the Philippines and the 66th journalist killed since democracy was restored in 1986, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (April 11, 2005 issue)
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