DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental – The wife of slain broadcast journalist Edmund Sestoso was assured of security as Palace officials vowed to speed up the resolution of the radioman’s brutal murder on April 30 in Barangay Daro, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
Acting on orders of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, Palace officials led by Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday visited the wake of Sestoso in Dumaguete City and extended Duterte’s condolences to the victim’s family on Thursday.
Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, was with Go and Andanar in paying their last respects.
It was the first time that senior Cabinet officials visited the wake of a slain media man.
Go told reporters he ordered Sr. Supt. Edwin Portento, acting Police Provincial Director, to provide security to Lourdes, the victim’s wife, and the rest of the Sestoso family after she expressed fear that the killers of her husband would go after her and their family.
“Sabi ko, wala kayong kinalaman. Wag kayong mag-alala. Walang gagalaw sa inyo. (I told them that you have nothing to do with whatever caused his death. Don’t worry, no one’s going to touch you),” Go said.
He assured Lourdes that everything is being done to identify, arrest, and bring perpetrators to court.
He issued directive to law enforcement agencies, particularly the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), to leave no stone unturned and to make sure that justice is served.
Bounty
Go, the President’s trusted aide, said a cash reward of PHP400,000 has been raised for the arrest of the gunmen with PHP200,000 coming from the national government while Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo will give PHP100,000 each.
Aside from pledging to provide burial assistance, Go gave Sestoso’s bereaved family PHP20,000 financial and two mobile phones to the two children — 13-year-old Eden and Bernadette, 11, so they can contact him any time.
Asked what other help the government can give to the family, “We will help them through educational assistance,” he said.
An NBI’s facial composite sketch of the gunman was presented to Go, who in turn showed it to the family.
Andanar expressed his grief over the death of Sestoso, a colleague he knew during his days as a practicing journalist.
“It is very sad because he is a very good guy to talk to, very energetic, very animated,” he said.
“We in the Presidential Task Force on Security will make sure that our media men are secured,” he added.
Andanar also appealed for any information that could help in the investigation of Sestoso’s murder.
He said the information can be coursed through the local PNP and will be treated as confidential, especially the informant’s identity.
After meeting with the family, Palace officials held a closed-door conference with the PNP, NBI, and Philippine Army.
Egco said their presence in Dumaguete City is not just to visit the wake and condole with Sestoso’s family but “ipaalam sa lahat na ganito po ka sincere ngayon ang ating administrasyon sa ilalim ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte (to show the sincerity of President Duterte’s administration) and that this government does not condone violence in the press and media.”
The fatal attack against Sestoso is reportedly the first against a member of media in Dumaguete City. He is anchor of his daily blocktime program “Tug-anan” on dyGB 91.7 FM. (PNA)
