ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 13 Jul) Police have detained a government soldier who was implicated in the killing of a journalist in the southern Philippines, officials said Thursday.
Officials said Army Sgt. Herbert Liguan, assigned with the 1st Infantry Division, is facing charges in the alleged killing of Rolly Canete, who was gunned down January 20 in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province.
"We have the soldier in custody. We had a warrant for his arrest for the alleged killing of the journalist," Superintendent Ramon Ochotorena, the provincial police chief, told the Zamboanga Journal.
The 65-year old Canete was driving a motorcycle with his son on his way to the provincial Capitol office when one of two motorcycle-gunmen shot him in Cawit village in Pagadian City. His son survived the attack and positively identified the 46-year old soldier.
Ochotorena said the military surrendered the soldier on Wednesday to the police in Pagadian City.
"The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation were tracking down the soldier until his surrender on Wednesday. The close coordination between law enforcement agencies and the military resulted in the recovery of the suspect," he said.
Canete was hosting two radio programs in Pagadian City and was also working with Aurora Cerilles, the provincial governor, as information officer. Police said it is still investigating the motive of the killing.
Another Pagadian journalist, Edgar Damalerio, of the radio station dxKP, was also shot dead by a policeman Guillermo Wapile on May 13, 2002, while driving home from work in a jeep with two colleagues.
Wapile was arrested and sentenced to life in prison last year for murdering the journalist. At least 3 witnesses in the slay of Damalerio were also killed one after the other.
The Philippines now ranks second to Iraq on the list of deadliest countries for journalists in 2005, according to international media group Reporters without Borders. Dozens of journalists were killed in the Philippines the past decade and most of the killings remain unresolved.
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