DAVAO CITY – Police arrested on May 2 one of the suspects in the killing of a seasoned broadcaster in Kidapawan City in 2019.
POLICE serve the arrest warrant against Gerozaga. (Presidential Task Force on Media Security)
The Makilala Municipal Police Station identified the suspect as Junell Gerozaga, 33, of Barangay Saguing, Makilala, North Cotabato.
Gerozaga was one of the suspects behind the killing of seasoned broadcaster Eduardo Dizon of Brigada News FM on July 10, 2019.
The suspect was wanted on the national level and had a bounty of P700,000 for his arrest for murder.
The warrant of arrest was signed by Judge Henelinda J. Molina-Diaz, Presiding Judge, 12th Regional Trial Court, Branch 61, Kidapawan City, with no bail recommended.
Makilala Municipal Police Station chief Police Lt. Col. John Miridel Calinga led the arresting units.
Cotabato Provincial Police Office spokesperson Police Lt. James Warren Caang said the suspect sent surrender feelers prior to his arrest. “He called several people before he was arrested. The last person he called was Col. Calinga,” Caang said.
He added that Gerozaga is said to be the gunman while the other suspect Sotero "Jun" Jacolbe served as the lookout.
Police said that the alleged mastermind was Dante Encarnacion Tabusares, also known as Bong Encarnacion.
Caang said Jacolbe was granted bail and subsequently acquitted by the Davao Regional Trial Court last March 8.
Tabusares was allowed to post a P500,000 bail by the court on March 11.
“These accomplishments by the government again prove that no one can escape from the long arms of the law and that thru the PTFoMS guiding its member-agencies, it has an effective and working mechanism to address all violence against the life, liberty, and security of all members of the media,” Presidential Task Force on Media Security Executive Director Paul M. Gutierrez said in a statement.
With the arrest of Gerozaga, Gutierrez said that they are confident that it will strengthen the case against Encarnacion
The PTFoMS said that the suspects allegedly plotted to kill Dizon over his stringent criticism of Encarnacion and the KAPA Ministry which was ordered closed by the government in 2019 for being a front for financial scams.
Encarnacion was the leader of KAPA in North Cotabato at the time, it added.
Gerozaga is detained at the Makilala Municipal Police Station.