P500,000 reward put up for radioman’s killer

NAGA CITY—With police investigators still unable to provide leads to the recent media killing here, Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. announced Thursday a P500,000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the killer of local broadcaster Romeo Olea.

Villafuerte said the system of reward and information conveyance will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

The governor said details of the reward were still being mapped out, including the setting up of a Capitol hotline that anyone could call to relay information on the murder or where his assailant could be hiding.

The hotline’s number will be announced soon, the governor said.

He said the reward money would come from his personal funds but he did not give details as to how and who would implement the reward system.

The Department of Interior and Local Government, through the Philippine National Police, has organized a Task Force Olea but the details of the organization of the investigating body have yet to be spelled out.

Olea was gunned down in Iriga City by an assassin riding in a motorcycle driven by a cohort last Monday while the broadcaster, who was also driving a motorcycle, was on his way to work to dwEB-FM in Nabua, Camarines Sur, past 5 a.m.

Olea’s burial was tentatively set today.

Raquel Olea, the wife of the slain broadcaster, said the family would wait until after the burial to decide what steps to take next to seek justice for the death of her husband.

Raquel said help has been pouring from friends and relatives, while Camarines Sur’s fifth district Rep. Salvio Fortuno spent for the casket of her husband.

She said the family was waiting for the brothers and sisters of Olea to come home but she said they have already set the last wake on Friday.

Senior Supt. Procopio Lipana, police provincial director of Camarines Sur, told the Inquirer by phone on Thursday that he has yet to be officially informed about the reward offered by the governor.

“I have heard about it this morning, but nothing official yet,” Lipana said.

He said Task Force Olea met Thursday at Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City to discuss details of the investigation of the murder, the sixth of a journalist under the Aquino administration.

Lipana said the Task Force Olea is composed of Philippine National Police and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group personnel.

Lipana said police have some leads on the killing of the broadcaster but he could not divulge the details.