4 held for columnist’s murder

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — At least four people, including the alleged gunman, were placed under police custody in connection with the Maundy Thursday killing of newspaper columnist Marlene Esperat in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat.

According to local police sources, the suspects’ arrest came after Randy Grecia, the alleged lookout in the killing, surrendered to authorities.

Through the help of Grecia, operatives of Task Force Esperat, led by Superintendent Danilo Galapon, Region 12 chief of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection, Group (CIDG), arrested the three other suspects in Asuncion, Davao del Norte last Friday.

The three were identified as Jerry Cabayog, the alleged gunman; Rowie Burcia and Estanislao Bismanos.

Burcia, said to be a military intelligence agent, allegedly contracted Bismanos to liquidate Esperat for P120,000.

Bismanos, in turn, hired Cabayog to carry out the plan to kill Esperat, 49, a hard-hitting columnist of Midland Review.

Esperat was shot and killed by a lone gunman inside her home in Barangay New Isabela in Tacurong City last March 24. She was buried last Saturday.

A police source said Bismanos’ group allegedly received from Burcia an initial payment of P60,000 while the remaining P60,000 was given after Esperat was slain.

Probers are determining if Esperat’s expose of the anomalies at the Department of Agriculture motivated her killing.

Esperat had filed graft charges against Region 12 officials of the DA for alleged misuse of public funds.

During the tactical interrogation, the suspects admitted that a certain Madam, who allegedly worked in the DA regional office, gave them the money to kill Esperat.

Chief Superintendent Antonio Billones, Central Mindanao police director, said the suspects will be presented to PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao, who is arriving here today for a media briefing.

Billones said formal charges are being readied against the suspects.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Reporters Sans Borders, an international media watchdog, arrived here last Saturday to look into the Esperat killing.

"These foreign journalists will conduct an independent investigation into the case of Esperat in coordination with the office of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez who has also ordered a thorough investigation into the killing," said former South Cotabato vice mayor Salvador Ramos, the justice department’s liaison officer for the Socsksargen (South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) area. — With John Unson