Suspected gunman in Dumaguete radio broadcaster slay surrenders

MANILA, Philippines — The alleged gunman who killed Dumaguete radio broadcaster Dindo Generoso last week has surrendered to authorities, Malacañang said Friday.

Undersecretary Joel Egco, Presidential Task Force on Media Security executive director, said at a live streamed press briefing that Patrolman Roger Rubio surrendered on November 13 and has since been put under government custody.

Egco said Rubio, an active police officer in Negros Oriental, surrendered himself to his commanding officer.

Two other suspects in the killing of Generoso, Teddy Reyes Salaw and Glenn Corsame, former corporal assigned at Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, were earlier arrested.

Police Lt. Col. Wilfredo Alarcon Jr., Dumaguete City police station officer-in-charge, said they identified Rubio as the gunman in the case based on information gathered from Salaw’s cellphone.

Alarcon said that while conversations between Salaw and a certain “Roger Rubio PNP” did not show that direct link to the killing, one of the “significant messages” they identified was Rubio asking for changing plate numbers.

He explained that the motorcycle used in the killing had a different plate number from its conduction sticker.

Motive still unclear

Egco, meanwhile, said that they are still in the process of determining the motive behind the crime.

The PTFoMS executive director said that they are eyeing politics or work, or both as reasons for the killing.

Egco pointed out that the Dumaguete City government sponsors Generoso’s radio program where the slain broadcaster tackled developmental programs in the city.

Generoso was driving his car when he was killed by a lone gunman along Hibbard Avenue in Barangay Piapi around 7:30 a.m. of November 7.

For the third year in a row, the Philippines was ranked fifth among the countries with the worst record of prosecuting killers of journalists, according to New York-based watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists.

CPJ said the Philippines has the most number of “unsolved murders of journalists in countries with [the] worst record for justice.” — Kristine Joy Patag