Four members of the controversial Kapa Community Ministry International Inc. have been tagged by a Malacañang task force in the July 10 murder of radio commentator Eduardo Dizon in Kidapawan City.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security identified the suspects as Dante Tabosares aka “Bong Encarnacion,” Junel Herosaga, Jun Jacolbe and Hilario Lape Jr., who turned state witness.
“We’ve already identified four, so we are still looking for six others. If they are watching us now, you better turn into witnesses because we will identify you soon,” said Undersecretary Joel Egco, executive director of the task force.
Egco presented Lape and another witness, Renato Sardonsillo, in a press briefing in Malacañang on Thursday.
Citing Lape’s affidavit, Egco named Tabosares, the Kapa media coordinator for North Cotabato, as the alleged mastermind who ordered Dizon killed following the broadcaster’s remarks on radio against the Kapa group’s alleged pyramid scheme.
Jacolbe was allegedly Tabosares’ right-hand man, Herosaga the gunman, and Lape the spotter.
Lape said he was present in a meeting where Tabosares allegedly ordered the killing of Dizon, a Brigada News FM Kidapawan station manager who was shot dead on July 10.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the two witnesses will be given security and protection as they have been receiving threats, prompting the Palace task force to go public with the suspects’ names.
“(We) assure them of government protection as they are being subjected to intimidation and other forms of threats by the suspects who, based on our information, are influential people in their province,” Andanar said.
Dizon’s widow, Madonna, said she was convinced the Kapa group was behind her husband’s murder.
“I am 100-percent sure. We have not received any other threat and we are not against anyone except the Kapa operations in Kidapawan City,” she said.
On Aug. 1, authorities filed murder charges against the suspects before the Kidapawan City prosecutor’s office.