DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental – Police investigators here are now closely pursuing a lead on a “person-of-interest” in relation to the murder of a radio anchorman recently.
Supt. Jonathan Pineda, the police chief of Dumaguete City, confirmed that they have summoned Lourdes, the wife of the late Edmund Sestoso, and some witnesses Friday afternoon to help investigators in the identification of the “person-of-interest” who may be responsible for the broadcaster’s death.
“Actually, meron na tayong person-of-interest pero di pa maano (disclose) ni PD kasi nag transition pa sya (The Provincial Director cannot yet disclose it because he is still in a transition phase),” Pineda pointed out.
He was referring to Sr. Supt. Raul Tacaca, who assumed office on Friday in lieu of former provincial police director Sr. Supt. Edwin Portento.
According to Pineda, the provincial police director is appointed head of the multi-agency task force created to investigate Sestoso’s death.
Tacaca still has to review the case folder on the death of Sestoso, Pineda said.
But he said that by Tuesday next week, the police would be able to make an announcement on developments related to the killing of Sestoso.
Sestoso, 50 years old, married and a resident of Dumaguete City, was shot in broad daylight on April 30 just as he was returning to his boarding house from his regular morning program, Tug-anan sa Power 91, at DYGB-FM.
He succumbed the following day to multiple organ failure secondary to multiple gunshot wounds.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security, headed by Undersecretary Joel Egco, and other Palace Officials including Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar visited Sestoso’s wake last week upon orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The President had directed a full investigation into the death of the Dumaguete-based journalist, the first ever to happen in the “City of Gentle People”.
Pineda clarified that no suspect has been arrested yet but he disclosed that the police could be filing a case next week after they have gathered all the necessary evidence. (PNA)
