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Alert

Three suspects in radio journalist's murder apprehended

(CMFR/IFEX) ? Within two days after the incident, police apprehended three suspects in the 18 July 2006 killing of broadcaster Armando Pace in Digos City, Davao del Sur, around 680 kilometers south of Manila.

On 19 July, the police nabbed suspect Juan Jesus Sataum, a money lender whose motorcycle was allegedly used by Pace's killer, according to Task Force Newsmen chief Pedro Tango.

Tango said Sataum was taken into police custody after the black Kawasaki motorcycle used in the slaying of the radio journalist was found in his residence.

The second suspect, whose name was withheld by the police, allegedly went around bragging that he was the one who had killed Pace. The police, tipped off by the man's neighbors, arrested him that same day.

The third suspect to be apprehended was identified as Joy Anticamara, alias "Tongol". Anticamara was detained by police at his residence in Junsay Subdivision in Digos City on 20 July by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Anticamara was identified by a 16-year-old witness who said she was about five to 10 meters away from the gunman when he shot the broadcaster. Police said the witness positively identified Anticamara in a police lineup as the person who shot the broadcast journalist.

The witness, who is now under police custody, said Anticamara was wearing a cap during the attack and that, after shooting Pace, he casually tucked away the pistol.

The police said the witness's testimony was reliable because she personally knew Anticamara.

Pace had just left work after his daily one-hour block time program "Ukadyang" (12:30-1:30 p.m., local time) for radio station dxDS, and was on his way to downtown Digos City when the killers pulled up beside the victim's own motorcycle. One of the men shot Pace in the head several times using a .45 caliber pistol.

PNP Deputy Director General Razon sent Tango to Digos City to coordinate all investigative efforts and extend technical assistance to local PNP units, which conducted follow-up operations on the murder.

Police investigators added that Pace's killing could have been motivated by "a personal grudge or related to his fiery radio commentary that earned him strings of libel cases filed by politicians, businessmen and other individuals."

According to a report by the Inquirer News Service, Pace regularly criticized politicians and even businessmen for their alleged wrong-doings.

Pace was imprisoned once for failing to post bail in connection with a libel case filed by a politician a few years ago. He always bragged that he was the most sued broadcaster, with about 99 libel suits, the report added.