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PTFoMs probes release of suspect in Generoso murder

By Mary Judaline Partlow and Juancho Gallarde

November 27, 2019, 8:31 pm

<p><strong>PROBE</strong>. Undersecretary Joel Egco, who heads the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, says on Wednesday (Nov. 27, 2019) he is seeking answers on why one of the four suspects in the murder of Dumaguete broadcast journalist Dindo Generoso was released. Last Friday, the city prosecutor's office dismissed the complaint filed against Teddy Salaw for lack of direct evidence linking him to the crime, OIC police chief Col. Wilfredo Alarcon said. <em>(Photo by Judy Flores Partlow)</em></p>

PROBE. Undersecretary Joel Egco, who heads the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, says on Wednesday (Nov. 27, 2019) he is seeking answers on why one of the four suspects in the murder of Dumaguete broadcast journalist Dindo Generoso was released. Last Friday, the city prosecutor's office dismissed the complaint filed against Teddy Salaw for lack of direct evidence linking him to the crime, OIC police chief Col. Wilfredo Alarcon said. (Photo by Judy Flores Partlow)

DUMAGUETE CITY – Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) executive director, Undersecretary Joel Egco, on Wednesday said he will look further into the release of one of the suspects in the killing of Dumaguete broadcast journalist Dindo Generoso.

In an interview here following the 16th Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Roadshow at Silliman University, Egco admitted he felt sad upon learning that Teddy Salaw, the alleged driver of a pickup truck whom police tagged in Generoso’s murder, was released.

“Medyo malungkot ako doon (I am kind of sad with that) and we have to know what happened,” said Egco, as he was set to have a meeting with OIC Dumaguete police chief, Col. Wilfredo Alarcon.

Egco said he wants to find out what caused the dismissal of the case against Salaw by the prosecutor’s office.

“Just because of technicalities, the complaint against Salaw was dismissed,” he said in Filipino, pointing to the absence of a lawyer when Salaw’s confession was taken by the police.

Several hours after Generoso was gunned down last Nov. 7 in Barangay Piapi by two unidentified assailants riding tandem on a motorcycle, police announced that Salaw, the alleged driver of a pickup truck, and retired police officer Glenn Corsame, were arrested.

Salaw was tagged as the alleged driver of a silver Mitsubishi Strada pickup truck from which the alleged gunman, Police Cpl. Roger Rubio, got off before boarding a motorcycle that Corsame had allegedly driven.

Egco said he will also be talking to the National Bureau of Investigation and even the media to get answers on the dismissal of the murder complaint against Salaw.

“It’s also not surprising because it looks like there is a good lawyer for him,” he said.

The dismissal of the complaint against Salaw stemmed from the findings of the prosecutor that there was no direct testimony that he was the driver of the pickup truck and that there was no instance in the CCTV footage that his face was seen, Alarcon said.

Evidence submitted before the city prosecutor’s office included a cellphone conversation between the alleged driver and gunman, including the admission by Salaw during police interrogation that he was the driver. But in the absence of a legal counsel, such admission is not accepted in court.

However, Alarcon said his investigators will not stop looking for supplemental evidence to pursue the filing of a murder case against Salaw.

He said Salaw was supposed to be indicted for illegal possession of firearms charge but the local authorities are still waiting for a certification from Camp Crame regarding the status of the gun recovered from the suspect.

This case, Alarcon said, will be filed on a regular preliminary investigation.

Police recovered a firearm and ammunition from Salaw at the time of his arrest.

Aside from Salaw, murder charges were filed against Corsame, Rubio, and Tomasino Aledro, the supposed owner of the pick-up truck.

Corsame is under custody of the police while Rubio is under “camp restriction” status at the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office pending an administrative case against him.

On the other hand, Aledro is still at large.

Egco assured that they will exert all efforts to provide more information to the local police and other investigators. (PNA)

 

 

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