Panabo cops eye 5 persons of interest in journalist slay

DAVAO CITY – The Panabo City police investigators are now looking at the possible involvement of five individuals in the murder of a newspaper publisher and writer, who was shot dead along the national highway in Barangay New Pandan, Panabo City, at around 1:10 p.m on June 7.

Panabo City Police Station Commander Supt Rimas Lambert, on Monday, said that aside from the five "persons of interest", investigators have no definite lead yet as to the identities of the suspects behind Dennis Denora's murder.

"Sa pagka karon wala pa tay ma-pinpoint na suspects pero naa tay mga persons of interest nga maoy ginaimbestigahan og maayo karon panahuna (In the meantime, we cannot pinpoint suspects but we are investigating persons of interests who could be involved in the case))," Lambert said.

Lambert said investigators are evaluating all pieces of evidence, such as the recording of the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) that captured the killing of Denora, a 67-year-old veteran journalist.

Denora was also publisher of Trends and Times, a Panabo City-based community newspaper with circulation in Davao del Norte Province.

Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, the spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) XI, said Denora, a resident of Purok Bearbrand, Barangay New Pandan, was sitting on the front seat of his vehicle driven by Mayonito Revira during the attack.

Driz said Denora sustained multiple gunshot wounds on the head resulting in his instantaneous death, while his driver sustained two gunshot wounds in the right hand.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered three fired bullets and one fired cartridge case believed to be of caliber 45 pistol.

Police said they are also scanning the past issues of Trends and Times to see if Denora’s killing is related to his work as a journalist.

The police have formed a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to look into Denora's murder. The SITG is headed by Senior Supt. Allan Manibog, Davao del Norte Police provincial director. (Armando Fenequito Jr/PNA)