Village executive denies hand in slay of ex-radio man

TUGUEGARAO CITY – A village official suspected to be behind last Saturday’s killing of former broadcaster Jose Daguio in neighboring Kalinga province, has turned himself in to police authorities but insisted on his innocence.

Reports said Elorde Marcelino, a councilman of Barangay Tuga in Tabuk City, Kalinga’s capital, went to the police last Sunday to clear himself of any involvement in the killing of Daguio, the first media casualty under President Aquino’s administration.                

Daguio, 75, a member of the Kalinga Media Board who retired as a broadcaster of Radyo Natin-Kalinga four years ago, was shot in the chest by a lone suspect in his home Saturday night.

Marcelino even underwent a paraffin test to disprove any hand in Daguio’s killing, but the results will still be available on Friday.

Senior Superintendent Virgilio Laya, Kalinga police director, said they invited Marcelino to shed light on the incident after initial investigation showed that he and Daguio recently had an altercation over a waterworks project in their barangay.

Laya said Marcelino “has already been released as the allowed time we could keep him in custody has already lapsed. Based on initial investigation, we can consider him already as a suspect.”