Suspects in Surigao radio anchor’s murder indicted
Credit to Author: JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, TMT| Date: Tue, 01 Oct 2019 16:35:57 +0000
COTABATO CITY: Several suspects were indicted for the murder and frustrated murder of a media commentator and the wounding of his live-in partner in Bislig City, Surigao del Norte sometime in October two years ago.
Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), told The Manila Times on Tuesday that respondents Rolly Mahilum and several John Does were indicted for the murder of Christopher Eban Lozada and the wounding of Honey Faith Toyco.
Egco said on Oct. 24, 2017, Toyco and Lozada were on board a Toyota Vios on their way home when a vehicle tailing them suddenly bumped their car. The passenger of that vehicle opened fire at Lozada with three successive gunshots.
Joan Francis Alas-Esmero, acting city prosecutor of Bislig City, said based on the merits of the complaint and after a thorough perusal of the evidence on record, she has found sufficient basis to indict the respondents for the crimes of murder and frustrated murder.
“We get these results because the PTFoMS never sleeps on the job,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary and PTFoMS Co-Chair Martin Andanar.
“We know we are accountable not only to President Duterte who created the Task Force, but more so to the working press that USec. Joel and I are technically still are part of. We’re not just government bureaucrats going through the motions. We will see to it that our brothers and sisters in this noble profession will get the justice they deserve,” he added.
As to the presence of the qualifying circumstance, the evidence showed that the killing was done with treachery, said Egco, adding, there was no indication that the victims provoked any of the assailants. Mahilum was said to be employed as a driver for the city government.
Alas-Esmero said there was also evident premeditation that the killing of Lozada was planned since they sought them out and trailed the victim who was driving until the assailants found the opportunity to kill him.
It was also established that there was no indication the private complainant had any ill will against respondent Mahilum.
With respect to private complainant Toyco, the wounds she sustained, based on the clinical summary or medical abstract, could be considered serious because the bullets penetrated several vital organs like the liver, stomach and colon, which could have had caused her death if not for the timely medical intervention given.
Toyco said she was able to see the face of the assailant and subsequently recognized him when she saw the picture of Mahilum.
“But this is just the beginning, we expect more indictments to follow not only in the case of Chris Lozada but also in all the pending cases in our inventory, as we are constantly monitoring and following-up those concerned to expedite the process,” said Egco.