By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has taken over the probe into the murder of radio broadcaster Cornelio Pepino in Negros Oriental, for better and tighter coordination between law enforcement agencies.
This was announced by PTFoMS over the weekend on its Facebook page.
The PTFoMS said that a Special Investigation Team for New Cases (SITN) was created upon the directive of its chairman and Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra to specifically probe the murder of 48-year-old Pepino, who was a regular news reporter and announcer at DYMD ENERGY 93.7 FM in Dumaguete City.
In the statement, Guevarra said that it is imperative that there is a pro-active involvement of the prosecutor during criminal investigation of cases involving media violence and other egregious human rights violations.
With the creation of the SITN, PTFoMS said that it will provide an effective leadership in the conduct of a thorough and complete criminal investigation for the murder of Pepino with the assistance of the DOJ, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Recently, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Negros Oriental led by Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Huesca, who is the assistant commander of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG)-Pepino, implemented a search warrant issued by Judge Leoncio Bancoro of Regional Trial Court Branch 41 in Dumaguete City against Police Executive Master Sergeant Reuel Piñero.
Piñero is considered a person of interest (POI) in the Pepino case and a chief security aide of Governor Roel Degamo. The search yielded 131 rounds of 5.56 mm live ammunition which is used in Armalite rifles.
The PTFoMS cited an interview of Degamo, clarifying that “the house of Piñero was raided because he is attached to him and if the policeman will be implicated, it will destroy his image and person as the governor of the province.”
In an earlier interview, Degamo said that “there was an intent on the part of the CIDG to implicate the governor and destroy his reputation and career in politics,” a statement which Huesca denied, claiming that the CIDG has no malicious intent in the implementation of the warrant.
To avoid such conflicts and allay fears of whitewashing by the local officials, PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco on Friday informed Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, regional director of Police Regional Office-7, through a memorandum that the Presidential Task Force shall be taking over the investigation of the case.
To ensure the investigation proceeds unfettered and free from prejudices of localized intrusions, Egco directed the PNP to cease and desist its own investigation and to fully cooperate and coordinate with the SITN pursuant to the mandate and directive of Administrative Order No. 1.
The Palace official also cautioned law enforcement officers that any failure to cooperate with the Presidential Task Force or the SITN shall have dire consequences.
Earlier, Egco warned local officials in the province not to obstruct the investigation of the case. He issued the warning after probes positively identified a car used as surveillance and getaway vehicle in the murder was traced to the provincial government.
He also voiced concern when NBI agents investigating the case were subjected to serious threats and harassment by some unscrupulous individuals in the province.
“These underhanded tactics, attempts to whitewash the case, threats on law enforcers, and other evil schemes will only serve to strengthen our resolve to get to the bottom of this,” Egco said, as he stressed that they will feel the full weight of the Office of the President bearing down on them.
Pepino was killed in an ambush by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen on his way home, along with his wife at Barangay Daro, after he came from his work. His wife was not hurt in the gun attack.
Meanwhile, radio station manager Florence Baesa sent a letter to Guevarra on Monday, expressing their gratitude for the creation of the SITN to probe the murder of their media colleague.
Baesa said that Pepino had worked with them for seven years, although he had decades of radio experience.
In his radio program entitled “Pukpokin Mo Baby!”, Pepino bravely brought to light issues related to illegal mining, illegal quarry operation, graft and corruption in the province, but his bravery was met with violence when he was gunned down three months ago, Baesa said.
She also thanked Egco for the action of the PTFoMS to take over the investigation.
Baesa said that this progress has made them more confident that those responsible for the murder of Pepino will be brought to justice and that the senseless killing of journalists in Dumaguete will come to an end.
“With the rise in cases of media violence, we humbly call on the DOJ to tackle impunity by carrying out effective and independent investigations into the deaths of journalists like Pepino,” she said.
“We strongly condemn all attacks against journalists and media workers and we will restlessly urge the government to prosecute these offenses to the fullest extent of the law.”
