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Tuesday, December 06, 2005
'Killer' of radioman charged
By Garry Cabotaje and Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- A former professional boxer was charged yesterday before the Talisay City Prosecutor's Office for the murder of radio dyDD reporter George Benaojan.
Roberto "Dinky" Recla Jagdon was identified by three witnesses through a photograph.
Jagdon, a resident of Sitio Sibio, Barangay Lawaan 1, Talisay City, also has a standing warrant for the murder of a Pahina Central barangay tanod in August 2002 and for robbery after he broke into the house of a newspaper lifestyle columnist more than two years ago.
No one else was included in the murder complaint, said Chief Insp. Juanito Enguerra of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO).
Three separate affidavits of Adriano "Jammy" Llanos, 40, Benaojan's fiancée Rhea Flores, 26, and a 16-year-old nephew and storekeeper submitted along with the complaint.
They were at the scene when Benaojan, 27, grappled for the suspect's gun and eventually shot at close range in the Talisay South Central Market in Lawaan 1 around 9:30 p.m. last Thursday.
Benaojan was the 10th journalist killed this year, according to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines. His murder happened three days after a Cebu City court sentenced a former police officer to life in jail for the 2002 killing of broadcaster and newspaper editor Edgardo Damalerio in Pagadian City.
Police said Jagdon, who is in his early 40s, came from Butuan City, Agusan del Sur and was a boxer until vices drove him to illegal activities.
Like other police investigators, Enguerra, CPPO's Provincial Intelligence and Investigation Branch chief, believes Jagdon was a hired assassin.
A sister-in-law, Veronica Cabridas, 36, confirmed that Jagdon is a former professional boxer who used the ring name "Flash Jagdon."
But an ABS-CBN TV Patrol Cebu report said that an older brother, Dominino alias Dodong, also a boxer, was the one known as Flash Jagdon.
Flash Jagdon was an ex-Philippine flyweight and bantamweight champion, it said, quoting the Games and Amusement Board.
Cabridas, a former contract worker in Abu Dhabi, received the subpoena of Jagdon from Jilmer Plarisan, Talisay City Prosecutor process server, and tanod Roel Nacario past 3 p.m. Monday.
"We are giving him (Jagdon) 10 days from receipt of the subpoena to respond. If he will not show up, we will resolve the case based on the evidence at hand and file it in court," said Talisay City Prosecutor Marshal Rubia.
Rubia advised the three witnesses to avail of the Department of Justice (DOJ) witness protection program for their safety.
He also said that the immediate kin of Benaojan can also avail themselves of DOJ's financial aid to victims of violent crimes.
Llanos, dyDD Bantay Taxi president, told Rubia that he could not be mistaken in his identification of Jagdon as he was near Benaojan when the reporter was shot.
In his affidavit, Llanos said the suspect, in a black polo shirt, appeared from his side and poked a gun on Benaojan's forehead.
Benaojan and Llanos, who both rented a stall at South Central Market for their general merchandize store, were sitting on plastic chairs outside their stalls when the suspect arrived.
At first, the gun did not go off.
"George just grinned, thinking it was a mere joke, while at the same time holding with both hands the barrel of the firearm. I cautioned him that it was a real gun," Llanos' affidavit read.
When Benaojan grappled for the gun, he was overpowered and eventually fell to the concrete floor, giving the suspect a chance to "chamber-load" and fire thrice at him, Llanos said.
Llanos run for cover. He returned to the scene after the shooting, but the gunman had already fled aboard a white taxi, heading toward Cebu City.
As he drove Benaojan to the Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City aboard the victim's car, Llanos said he asked Benaojan if he knew his assailant. "He replied in the negative," Llanos said.
Benaojan died at 12:10 a.m. last Friday while undergoing surgery for the bullet wounds in his chest, jaw and right leg.
CPPO Director Vicente Loot said they are still pursuing leads to establish the motive of the killing and the identity of the mastermind.
The attack has prompted some radio reporters to consider carrying guns.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña said everybody who qualifies to carry a gun should be allowed to carry one.
"Other people get shot too. Why only the KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas)?" he told a news conference yesterday.
But he is not in favor of providing police security to KBP.
"If there's a very clear threat, that's another matter. But I even discourage my own councilors of having bodyguards," the mayor said. (With GAC/KNR/Sun.Star Cebu)
(December 6, 2005 issue)
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