MANILA, Philippines — Before radio reporter Jose Bernardo, 44, was shot dead in Quezon city on Saturdaynight, he had been receiving threats over SMS.
This was revealed in an action report on Monday by the newly convened Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) “Jose” of the Quezon City Police District. The task group is headed by the QCPD deputy director for administration, Senior Supt. Danilo Bautista.
The report, a copy of which was obtained by reporters, listed initial actions already undertaken by the task group, which included the examination of “threatening text messages” the victim had received prior to his murder.
The report also said that Bernardo’s cellular phone was submitted to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for “digital forensic examination.”
The task group’s spokesperson, Chief Insp. Jeffrey Bilaro, confirmed the contents of the action report, but declined to specify the content of the threatening text messages during follow-up operations.
Bilaro said “dragnet operations” to catch the still unidentified perpetrators have started in Barangay Kaligayahan, where the crime was carried out, as well as neighboring police jurisdictions. Police have started “house-to-house” visits in the area to find possible witnesses, the spokesperson said.
Security camera footage is also being analyzed to help identify the shooter, and his cohort, who drove their getaway motorcycle.
The recovered fired cartridge cases and slugs from the crime scene have been submitted to the crime laboratory in the national police headquarters for “ballistic examination and cross-matching with similar incidents in the area,” the task group’s report showed.
Bernardo’s family has been interviewed, Bilaro said.
Whether Bernardo’s killing was related to his work has not been determined, with the PNP spokesperson, Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, confirming on Monday that Bernardo was not an “organic” personnel of radio station DWIZ.
Earlier, reports stated that Bernardo told his family he was was on his way to meet somebody in Quezon city.
Bernardo was shot in the head and body by an unidentified shooter, as he was parking his motorcycle outside a fast-food restaurant on Zabarte Road in Barangay Kaligayahan.
The shooter then walked away and boarded a waiting motorcycle driven by another cohort. SFM