The Presidential Task Force on Media Security has ordered the Philippine National Police to intensify its manhunt for the suspected killer of Remate columnist Jupiter Gonzales and his friend, Christopher Tiongson, after an alias warrant was recently issued by a Regional Trial Court for double murder.
Responding to the call, the Pampanga Police Provincial Office created special tracker teams to hunt down the accused Armando Maglaya Velasco a.k.a., “Ambet”, said to be a carnival operator and primary suspect in the twin-murder.
Judge Mary Jane Dacara Buenaventura of Branch 43 of the RTC of San Fernando City issued the alias warrant under Criminal Case 29647.
“They may run and they may hide, but the PNP will be undeterred in their duty to apprehend these criminals. There is no escaping the law especially in this Administration.” PTFoMS Co-Chair and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin M. Andanar said.
For his part, Joel Egco, a veteran journalist and colleague of Gonzales, said that “With the help of our dedicated police officers, the Task Force is relentless and unwavering in its quest to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime against my friend and colleague, Jupiter Gonzales. Failure to arrest this criminal is not an option.”
Gonzales and Tiongson were shot dead on 20 October 2019 while inside a car apparently after a heated altercation with the suspect involving the operation of a “perya” or carnival.
According to PLtCol. Eduardo Guevara Jr., Arayat Chief of Police, the evidence against Velasco is strong as the bullets recovered from the victims’ bodies were positively identified through forensic examination as coming from the gun that belonged to Velasco. The firearm was surrendered by Velasco’s relative after the killings.
With a dedicated mandate to resolve media killings in the country, Egco recently announced the 50th case of media killing that resulted in a guilty verdict with the conviction of accused Leonardo Banaag Jr. for the murder of Ilocos-based radio broadcaster Jovelito Agustin.
That brings to 67 the total number of media killers that were convicted by the courts, the Palace official said.
Egco said that from one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, the Philippines’ status has greatly improved ever since Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016.
In 2018, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders for the first time delisted the Philippines in its list of the most dangerous countries for journalists.