DAVAO CITY — The Philippine National Police has identified the three suspects in the killing of broadcaster Juan ‘DJ Johnny Walker’ Jumalon, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) announced on Monday, January 8.
Jumalon was killed while livestreaming on his social media page last November 5, 2023, in Calamba, Misamis Occidental.
Undersecretary Paul M. Gutierrez, executive director of the PTFoMS in a report to Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil, identified the suspects through their aliases as ‘Ricky,’ ‘Boboy’ and ‘Inteng.’
In an interview with Newsline Philippines, Gutierrez said, “The diligent and continuing effort by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in pursuing this case demonstrate the serious and unrelenting determination by the Marcos administration to bring the perpetrators to justice while sending out a clear message that any violence against any member of the press would not go unpunished.”
Gutierrez lauded the Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Commander PolCol. Dwight Monato and Police MajGen. Eric Noble, chief the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management (DIDM) for their dedication in their investigation which led to the identities of the suspects who are still at-large.
Gutierrez, who conferred with Nobleand Monato, revealed that cases of murder and theft have been filed at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against the suspects.
“I was informed by the members of the Special Investigation Task Force Jumalon that the suspects have been sighted in Misamis Oriental and Zamboanga del Norte,” Gutierrez revealed.
Alias Ricky had already been charged as early as November 16, 2023 while the complaints for his two accomplices were filed by the SITG before the start of the long Christmas break, Monato told Gutierrez.
“We would be releasing their formal identities as soon as the cases against the suspects are filed before the court,” Gutierrez said.
The PTFoMS, Gutierez said will prepare tarpaulins revealing the faces of the suspects which will be distributed in public places to generate support from the community for the capture of the suspects.
Gutierrez added he had also forwarded to Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin a copy of Resolution 686-2023 passed by the Sangguniang Panglalawigan of Misamis Occidental last November 13, 2023 initiated by Gov. Henry Oaminal, condemning the attack on Jumalon and offering a total reward of P3.5 million for the suspects’ arrest.
This brought the total reward money to P3.7 million, including the P100,000.00 reward each offered by the PTFoMS and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).
At present, investigators are looking at 4 possible motives: land dispute, business, local politics and personal.
“Of course, until such time that the suspects or anyone of them has been arrested, that would be the time the motive would be clearly established. However, it is becoming clear that Jumalon’s killing has nothing to do with his being a member of the press,” Gutierrez stressed.
