Four people have been charged with murder in connection with the killing of a radio commentator almost a week ago. #DindoGenerosomurder

Patrolman Roger Rubio turned himself in to his acting officer, Police Lt. Col. Judymar de Leon, at around 6 p.m. Wednesday, 13 November. (HUN)

An active policeman from the Negros Oriental Provincial Mobile Force Company who was tagged in the killing of radio broadcaster Dindo Generoso in Dumaguete City last 7 November has surrendered, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) on said Friday.

Patrolman Roger Rubio turned himself in to his acting officer, Police Lt. Col. Judymar de Leon, at around 6 p.m. Wednesday, 13 November, PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Joel Egco said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

“The series of investigations and the filing of charges are a course of action that further proves and solidifies the administration’s commitment to stamp out impunity against members of the media,” Egco said quoting the official statement of Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin M. Andanar, co-chairman of the PTFoMS.

“The administration, through the PCOO and the PTFoMS, shall continue to go after and hold accountable to the law these perpetrators of media killings and violence in the Philippines, regardless who or what they are, and how and why they did it,” Egco added.

Egco said the motive for the killing of Generoso may be related to politics or his work.

Following the gruesome killing of Generoso, President Rodrigo Duterte through Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo ordered authorities to act with dispatch in bringing his killers to justice.

In a matter of hours and in quick successions, two of the suspects in the attack were arrested on the same day— Teddy Salaw and Glen Corsame. In record time, the next day, charges of murder were filed agaist Salaw and Corsame and two others: Rubio, the alleged gunman, and Tomacino Aledro who have since been in hiding.

In the same press briefing, De Leon said upon checking on Rubio’s record, he was recently demoted from his rank several years ago and has a pending case in the Ombudsman.

When asked if a witness has already come out to positively identify Rubio as the gunman, De Leon said there is so far none.

Rubio’s participation in the killing was based on his cell phone conversation with Salaw gathered by the Dumaguete police.

“The chief of police of Dumaguete based his case on the conversation . Iyung time nito, ‘yung oras nito nag-uusap sila [During that time they were having a conversation] and then naputol ‘yun [Then it was cut],” De Leon said.

De Leon, at the same time, assured that the alleged participation of Rubio being a policeman in the kiling is an isolated case.

“This is actually a very isolated case that’s why I requested Usec. Egco to treat this with utmost ano no, ‘yung dignity namin dahil naging person of interest lang siya [became a person of interest] primary at that because of the conversation that they had before and considering that Corsame was also a former (retired) policeman. So dinudugtong pa natin ito [we are connecting the dots]. Iyung ibang ebidensya [the other evidences] we want to hold for the meantime pending na nasa korte na ang kaso [that the case is already in court],” De Leon said.

“He is charged in court. Tinanggap na ito kaya lang regular filing at kapag may [This has been accepted although it was only regular filing and if there are] direct witnesses it will strengthen the position of the Dumaguete City Police,” he added

De Leon also said that administrative proceedings will also be conducted against the suspect.

The police official said that they brought Rubio to Malacañang upon the directive of the PTFoMS for them to also investigate him personally aside from the investigation being conducted by the PNP.

De Leon said prior to Rubio’s surrender to his commanding officer, five tracker teams were sent out to hunt him down.

“Meron pang mga feeler nun na magsu-surrender siya sa human rights, but we don’t mind kasi nasa part siya ng organization. And if this is part of our cleansing program so be it,” he said.

The PTFoMS on Sunday said four people have been charged with murder in connection with the killing of a radio commentator almost a week ago.

Egco said a case for “Murder” with NPS Docket No. VII-II-INV-19K-00645 was filed by inquest prosecutor Atty. Oscar Bokingkito at the City Prosecutor’s Office of the Dumaguete City Hall of Justice on 8 November 2019 against Salaw, 44, of Lower Batinguel, Dumaguete City;. Corsame, legal age, of San Jose Village, Banilad, Dumaguete City; Rubio, legal age, of Guihulngan City; and Aledro (at-large), legal age, of B4 L1, Azumi Subd., Batinguel, Dumaguete City.

The PTFoMS official said Rubio was identified as the gunman who repeatedly shot and killed Generoso, while Aledro, reportedly a financier of the numbers game Suertres, owned the silver Mitsubishi Strada used by the suspects.

He said there are also information reaching the PTFoMS indicating that Aledro and Salaw are related by affinity.

Generoso was an anchor for development programs of the local government, including a controversial reclamation project that was halted by the DENR.

His radio program in Bai Radio is sponsored by the city government of Dumaguete as an extension of its public information office.

Police said Generoso was traversing along Hibbard Avenue on a brown Hyundai Elantra with plate #YKU 946 on his way to his 8 a.m. radio program on Bai Radio when several shots were fired against Generoso by unidentified men on a black motorcycle.

Generoso sustained eight gunshot wounds on different parts of his body causing his instant death.

After the incident, the assailants fled to an unknown direction.

Scene of the Crime Operatives personnel processed the crime scene and recovered seven empty shells of caliber .45 and one slug of unknown caliber recovered inside the victim’s car.

“Blocktimers have been particularly vulnerable because of their involvement with politicians as a whole. The Task Force calls on our various media groups and stations, and all media practitioners to take a deeper look into the practice of blocktiming vis-à-vis its inherent dangers,” Egco was earlier quoted as saying.

The PTFoMS database shows that around 22 blocktimers have been killed since 2003.