Suspect in slaying of broadcaster still free; case archived

DIGOS CITY, Philippines – Three years ago, broadcaster Dennis Cuesta was killed by a lone assassin near the busy Gaisano shopping center here. The main suspect turned out to be Inspector Redempto Acharon, a nephew of then Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr.

Acharon remains at large and Gloria Cuesta, the broadcaster’s widow, complains that justice has remained so elusive even if the main suspect has long been identified. Even worse, the widow protests, because the police have failed to arrest Acharon, the murder charge against him has been archived.

“All I can do right now is to offer Mass for my husband, to pray that we can get justice,” Gloria said after the August 4 commemoration of Cuesta’s third death anniversary here.

Nilo Cobrado, a reporter of Bombo Radyo in Davao City, said the police might have deliberately looked the other way because of some pressure.

“Why did he remain at large despite the arrest order? We could only surmise,” Cobrado said.

He said if the police indeed tried to find Acharon as officials had claimed, then it only showed they were inutile because the main suspect has been reported to be just around General Santos City.

Nilo Mercado, a news stringer, said the continued failure of the police to locate Acharon was sad and has contributed to the culture of impunity in the country.

“It’s not surprising that we’re ranked by the (Committee to Protect Journalists) as the third deadliest country in the world for journalists to work in – and what is the government doing to address this issue? What has it done for these families?” he said.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said Cuesta’s case was only one of the many unresolved attacks on journalists in the country.

There was the case of William Yap Yu, a publisher of a local paper in Pagadian City, who was gunned down on May 19, 2000.

Norma, his daughter, said justice also remained elusive for the family.

“My father was only doing his job. He was not afraid to expose corruption and malpractices in the government so they had to silence him,” she said.

In Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, authorities were allegedly lukewarm in resolving the 2007 murder of radio reporter Vicente Sumalpong, journalists there said.

Dianne Amilasan of Radyo Natin said even the transfer of Sumalpong’s case to the National Bureau of Investigation did not help in the quest for justice for the slain journalist.

Rowena Paraan, NUJP secretary general, said Sumalpong’s case was typical of a media killing that took place in an area far from Manila’s attention.