Worker picked up in reporter’s slay

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – Police took in for questioning a possible suspect in the fatal shooting of Remate reporter Rubylita Garcia in a raid in Cavite City yesterday afternoon.

But a source said a witness, one of Garcia’s children, failed to identify Aaron Cruz, 23, who was apprehended in his house in Sitio Carida at 4:15 p.m.

Cruz, a construction worker, was picked up in a sting operation, with the raiding team saying drugs and a .22 caliber revolver were found in his possession.

Garcia was killed with a caliber .38 gun.

Senior Superintendent Joselito Esquivel of the Cavite Provincial Police  Office  said the description of Cruz matched the artist’s sketch of the gunman.

But the police contacted another witness to help determine whether or not Cruz was the one who shot Garcia.

Esquivel said investigators would conduct cross matching of the firearm found on the suspect and the murder weapon.

Cruz is undergoing interrogation by the Cavite police.

Chief Superintendent Jesus Gatchalian, Calabarzon police director, said the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Ruby is readying charges against two suspects.

He refused to give details on the hunt for another suspected gunman.

A source in the task force said police are reviewing a copy of the closed-circuit television camera footage they obtained from residents in a barangay in Bacoor City, where the suspects were spotted escaping after the shooting.

“We are hoping that Garcia’s murder will be solved as soon as possible. We have a vital lead in the case, but we are still digging for other possible angles before we file a case against the culprits,” Gatchalian told The STAR.

Witness tagged police officer

Esquivel also ordered the relief of Superintendent Conrado Villanueva, chief of the Tanza police, whose name was mentioned by a witness.

Villanueva has denied knowing Garcia and having any motive to have her killed.

Investigators are eyeing work-related motives behind the killing of Garcia in Bacoor last Sunday.

“We all know that Garcia had a program in a local radio station and was a reporter of Remate tabloid. We know, along with other fellow media in Cavite, that she had many exposés on anomalies and wrongdoing of individuals, including police officials. One of her nemesis could be the brains in the attack,” a member of the task force said.

Gun-licensing exceptions for journalists

Meanwhile, Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento said yesterday there might be a need for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to consider making certain exceptions for its gun-licensing requirements for media practitioners and other high-risk professions as killings of journalists continue.

Sarmiento said members of the media often face libel cases. This makes it difficult for them to secure court and National Bureau of Investigation clearances, which are required by Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Aside from media practitioners, people working in the judiciary such as court sheriffs, prosecutors and judges should be given exemtpions on certain gun-licensing requirements “as they constantly earn the ire of other people, including dangerous criminals,” Sarmiento said.

“I think that some requirements now being imposed on gun licensing should be waived for members of the media,” Sarmiento said.

He lamented that media killings have made the Philippines earn a reputation as one of the most dangerous places for journalists despite the PNP’s successes in its anti-crime campaign.

The lawmaker also said that while the new firearms law is a good anti-crime measure, there might be a need to adopt special considerations for journalists and other high-risk professions, particularly those who are frequently brought to court for simply doing their jobs.

“Although the law itself has already included the media and those who are in the judiciary as among those who are allowed to own firearms, there might still be a need to provide them some special exceptions and exemptions with regard to their licensing requirement,” he pointed out.

He also noted that while the PNP is doing everything to protect journalists, its limited manpower makes it impossible to stop the series of assassinations targeting members of media and the judiciary. – With Paolo Romero, Arnell Ozaeta