DIGOS CITY—The family of slain former journalist Nestor Bedolido is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to order the arrest of the suspected brains of the murder as they commemorated Bedolido’s first death anniversary last Sunday, Father’s Day.
Bedolido, former editor of the Digos Times, was shot dead by one of two gunmen on June 19 last year.
The self-confessed gunman, Ritchie Mirafuentes, had pointed to Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas, whose family owned the Digos Times, and Matanao, Davao del Sur, Mayor Butch Fernandez as the ones who ordered Bedolido’s killing.
Both Cagas and Fernandez denied any involvement in Bedolido’s murder. They said they had no reason to order the killing of the former journalist.
Based on the case’s records, Bedolido had worked with Cagas before they had a falling out.
He was then consultant of the weekly paper Kastigador and supported the gubernatorial bid of former Davao del Sur Rep. Claude Bautista, Cagas’ political rival.
Bautista lost to Cagas in the last gubernatorial elections.
The gunman, Mirafuentes, said his involvement in the plot to kill Bedolido started with the ambush of his parents, who both worked for Cagas.
He said when Cagas learned he was planning to exact revenge, the governor made him believe that the brains behind his parents’ ambush was Bedolido.
He said Cagas and Fernandez had instigated him to kill the former journalist and even provided him the firearm he used in killing Bedolido.
Mirafuentes was arrested and later placed under the DOJ’s witness protection program in exchange for his testimony.
Marxlen, the slain journalist’s son, said a year after his father’s death, the suspected brains remain scot-free.
He said the family could not understand why the suspected brains have not been arrested despite the testimony of the confessed gunman.
“The DOJ has in its custody the gunman. Why is the case moving too slow?” Marxlen said.
Cagas said he understood the feelings of the Bedolido family but that he was also hoping that he will be cleared of the charge.
“I am also praying that justice will be served them,” he said.
Bedolido’s murder is just among many on a growing list of journalists killed in a culture of impunity that continued after the election victory of now President Aquino, who vowed in his campaign to steer the country to change and remove graft in the government. Orlando B. Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao