Criminal case filed vs 4 ‘communist assassins’ in Sumera slay

MANILA, Philippines—Police have filed a criminal case against four suspected communist assassins, who allegedly shot dead a lady broadcaster in Malabon City last month, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said Tuesday.

Charged with murder before the Malabon City prosecutor’s office were Carlos Alejandro and three still unidentified members of the Partisano–Armadong Operatiba ng Partido Marxista-Leninista ng Pilipinas, a splinter group of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Citing a report from Malabon police chief Senior Superintendent Cornelio Barrios, Robredo said the four were identified by witnesses as the men who carried out the assassination of Marlina Sumera on March 22.

Robredo said the Malabon City police office also sued a certain Emma Nuqui for grave threats after she reportedly threatened Sumera “with harm” over a land row involving a property in Barangay Maysilo.

He said Sumera and Nuque were leaders of “two warring homeowners’ associations” in their community.

“I have given instructions to Barrios to extend support to the Sumera family in their quest to bring her killers to the bar of justice,” Robredo said in a statement.

Sumera, 44, who hosted a daily public service program over radio DZME, was gunned down by a lone assailant while she was on her way to the radio station.