Task Force formed to probe radioman's slay

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines  – The regional police office here has formed a task force to investigate the attack on a radioman Monday.

Bicol police regional director Chief Superintendent Cecelio Calleja said he has organized Task Force Olea to investigate and identify the gunman behind the killing of Romeo Olea.

Olea, a radio reporter and commentator of dwEb-FM, was on his motorcycle when a gunman riding tandem on another motorcycle shot him in front of the Holy Child Learning Center at Barangay San Jose in Iriga City while he was on his way to Nabua town at 5:50 a.m.

The radioman was hit twice in the back and died a few minutes later at the Rinconada Medical Center in Iriga City.

Calleja has appointed Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana, the new Camarines Sur provincial director, to head the investigation and identify possible witnesses who could shed light on the identity of the gunman.

“We are still facing a blank wall,” said Iriga City police chief Superintendent Ronald Briones, who led the scene of the crime investigation.

Police recovered two empty shells from a 9mm pistol at the crime scene.

Briones said any suspect who will come out will be placed under the witness protection program of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“I’m sure DOJ Secretary Lilia de Lima, who comes from Iriga City, will extend her help to solve this crime,” he said.

Authorities theorized that Olea could have earned the ire of some individuals in the community whom he had been indirectly attacking in his radio program.

Palace: Hunt down killers

Malacañang yesterday condemned Olea’s killing and directed Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to conduct an investigation “for the purpose of identifying, apprehending and charging the culprits.”

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said authorities are still in the process of finding out whether the murder of Olea was work-related, saying they are still waiting for an update from investigators.

Authorities also have an ongoing investigation on the assault against dzRK Radyo ng Bayan anchorman Jerome Tabanganay by Kalinga Gov. Jocel Baac last week.

Olea’s wife Rachel, who works as a civilian employee at the Iriga police station, said follow up operations were being conducted by police to get the killers.

“The victim’s wife turned over to the police the cassette recorder and cell phone of her husband for examination,” Lipana said.

Olea’s killing happened eleven months after the murder of another dwEB reporter, Miguel Belen, who was shot dead at Barangay San Jose Pagaron in Nabua, Camarines Sur on July 9, 2010.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Press Corps condemned the latest killing and urged the police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to solve the case and also the other unsolved killings of media men in Bicol, where seven journalists have already been killed since 1986.

Aside from Olea and Belen, the other Bicol newsmen murdered were: Ronaldo Julian of dzLB in Camarines Sur, Ruel Endrinal of dwRl, Jun Villanueva of dzGB, Dyunyor Joe of dzRC, all from Albay and Nelson Nadera of Masbate.

The PNP reported that 39 journalists were killed during the nine-year administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and 28 of these have been resolved.

Meanwhile, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, chairman of the House committee on public information, said the PNP and NBI should form dedicated teams to solve the unabated killings of media practitioners.

AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin also condemned the latest killing of a journalist and called for a government policy to protect members of the media.

Six journalists have already been killed since President Aquino assumed office last year. – Celso Amo, Paolo Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe