Civilian informer nabbed for broadcaster’s murder

STA. CRUZ, Laguna — Police arrested here yesterday a civilian police informer for the murder of local broadcaster and journalist Noel Villarante, who was gunned down in front of his residence last week.

Villarante’s wife, Jocelyn Ovilla, identified suspect Senando Palumbarit, a resident of Barangay Sta. Clara Sur in Pila, Laguna, as the ski mask-wearing man who shot his husband, according to Senior Superintendent Edwin Corvera, Laguna police director.

Palumbarit’s arrest coincided with Villarante’s burial at the Garden of Peace in Barangay Bagongbayan here yesterday.

Palumbarit, however, denied any involvement in the killing, saying he was at home when Villarante was shot dead at about 6:45 p.m. of Aug. 19.

Palumbarit worked as a police informer just like Villarante, who until his death was a civilian agent of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Villarante worked for radio station dzJV and community paper Laguna Score, where he wrote a column.

"I was invited by the police to perform intelligence work the other day but after I had completed writing my resumé, the police implicated me in Villarante’s killing," Palumbarit said.

Some sectors in the province expressed apprehension that Palumbarit might be a "fall guy."

"The Laguna police was able to secure a ‘scapegoat’ for their failure to solve various killings in Laguna," a political leader, who requested anonymity, told The STAR.

While Jocelyn pinpointed Palumbarit as the alleged gunman, she earlier told NBI agents that she could not recognize her husband’s killer since the man was wearing a cap and his face was covered.

Villarante was shot in the chest as he opened the door of his FX van in front of his residence in Barangay Duhat here.

His wife had just entered their house then after sending off Jun de Roma, Villarante’s co-anchorman in the dzRV program Kabalikat ng Bayan, at the national highway — With Christina Mendez