Bicol’s 3rd most wanted man tagged as journalist’s killer

LEGAZPI CITY — Police have tagged Bicol’s third most wanted man, who carries a P250,000 prize on his head, as the triggerman in last Wednesday’s gunslaying of journalist Rowell Endrinal.

Superintendent Pedro Tango, Albay police director, said Clarito Arizobal, 38, who hails from Dimasalang, Masbate, was identified by two witnesses from pictures shown to them.

Arizobal, alias Boy Zapanta, faces two counts of robbery in band with homicide before Regional Trial Court Branch 49 in Cataigan, Masbate.

Tango, who heads the task force probing the case, said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed murder charges yesterday against Arizobal and four John Does with the city prosecutor’s office.

Investigation showed that five people followed Endrinal from Feb. 8 to 11, when he was finally gunned down while he was on his way to his morning political commentary show on radio station dzRC.

Tango quoted one of the witnesses as saying that Arizobal was the one who shot Endrinal, also the publisher of two local newspapers, with a 9-mm pistol.

According to the witnesses, Arizobal reloaded his gun after pumping seven bullets into Endrinal’s body and then briskly walked away from the scene, Tango said.

"We believe that the suspect is still in Albay," he said, adding that the killing was carried out by "professional hired killers."

Tango said they have recommended that the bounty for Arizobal’s arrest be raised to P500,000.