A Davao City trial court has exonerated one of the suspects in the 2019 murder of a local radio broadcaster for lack of evidence.
The Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) gave respondent Sotero Jacolbe a clean bill of health after the prosecution failed to substantiate charges implicating him in the slaying of broadcaster Eduardo Dizon on July 10, 2019.
Jacolbe’s lawyer, Vicente Andiano, announced the acquittal during press briefing in Davao City.
“The prosecution failed to establish the guilt of the accused by proof beyond reasonable doubt, and the court acquits Jacolbe of the crime of murder,” Andiano said.
Davao City RTC Judge Emmanuel Carpio handed down the ruling last March 8.
Dizon, 58, broadcaster of Brigada News FM in Kidapawan City, was heading home aboard his car when he was waylaid, killing him on the spot.
Two other suspects, Dante Tabusares, a coordinator of the KAPA (Kabus Padatuon) Community Ministry International, and a certain Junell Jane Andagkit Poten, remained at large.
“The truth has finally come out, I am vindicated,” Jacolbe told reporters. “But what puzzled me is who implicated me and why.”
Jacolbe turned himself in to the Kidapawan City police following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him.
On Dec. 17, 2019, the court granted his request to post bail. He subsequently resumed his job as a broadcaster of Radyo Natin-FM based in Davao City.
In May 2021, the Supreme Court granted the request of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines to transfer the case to Davao City.