Jail escapee charged in radioman’s killing

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Police authorities in Valencia City, Bukidnon have charged in court a suspect in the Nov. 29 killing of a radio commentator, although he is still at large.

Witnesses have tagged the suspect, Dionisio Daulong, one of the 21 inmates who bolted the Valencia City jail last September, as among those behind the slay of broadcaster Joas Dignos.

Dignos’ attackers included four gunmen and two motorcycle drivers, but witnesses said it was Daulong who was the last one to shoot the radio commentator, apparently to finish him off.

Daulong was said to be one of the leaders of last September’s jailbreak.

Dignos will be buried this morning in Valencia City. Members of various media groups, including the Cagayan de Oro Press Club, will attend his interment.

Based on a report of Task Force Usig of the Philippine National Police, eight members of the media, excluding Dignos, were killed under the administration of President Aquino.

The eight-page report is dated Nov. 25, thus Dignos’ killing last Nov. 29 is not yet included. 

According to Task Force Usig, the eight slain journalists were Virgilio Bico of Kalahi tabloid in Oriental Mindoro; Fernando Solijon, host of the block-time radio program “Sandiganan” in Iligan; Miguelito Rueras, field correspondent of El Nuevo Bantay Radyo-Cebu City (dyDD, dyHH and dyZZ); Edgardo Adajar, a block-timer radio host of 101.5 Hot FM in Laguna;

Julius Cauzo, a part-time radio announcer of dwJJ in Cabanatuan City; Jhonson Pascual, a contributor of the Northeastern Journal and editor-in-chief and columnist of the defunct Prime News local newspaper in Isabela; Romeo Olea, a reporter and anchorman of dwEB-FM in Iriga City; and Gerardo Ortega, a radio commentator of Radio Mo Nationwide (RMN) dwAR-Palawan. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe