DAVAO CITY - Former Davao del Sur governor Douglas Cagas on Monday surrendered to the Police Provincial Office (PPO) after being tagged as the mastermind behind the killing of a journalist in 2010.
Cagas surrendered around 7:30 a.m. Monday after having been served a warrant for his arrest in connection with the death of Nestor Bedolido Sr. in Digos City in 2010.
Cagas was brought to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
In a brief statement, Cagas asserted his innocence, and claimed that his arrest was due to politics.
Supporters of the ex-governor, including his wife, First District Representative Didi Cagas, and cousin, Board Member Tracy Cagas, accompanied him in his surrender.
A warrant of arrest was issued by the Department of Justice (DoJ) against Cagas and and Matanao town Mayor Vicente Fernandez almost four months when the murder charges were filed against them. Also charged were co-suspects Ali Ordaneza and Bado “BadoBaritua” Sanchez.
The DOJ also ordered the withdrawal of information (charge sheet) against Voltaire Mirafuentes and Artemio “Dokdok” Timosan Jr.
Mirafuentes was admitted to the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) after he surrendered to the police and admitting his participation in the crime. Timosan was dropped from the charge sheet for lack of enough evidence that he conspired with other respondents.
Bedolido, who was a consultant for the weekly Kastigador at the time of his death, was shot dead in Digos City in Davao del Sur on June 19, 2010 by one of two motorcycle-riding men.
One of the witnesses in the murder, Ritchie Manapol, was shot dead in this city on July 31, this year.
In a report from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Mirafuentes tagged Cagas and Fernandez as the alleged masterminds while Ordaneza and Sanchez in the planning to kill Bedolido.
Mirafuentes, in his testimony, said Cagas, through Ordaneza, called him and his brother Henry at the governor’s house where the murder was allegedly planned.
He said it was agreed that he would be the triggerman while Sanchez would identify Bedolido.
DoJ Secretary Lelila De Lima said Mirafuentes’s statement was positive and categorical and sufficient to form reasonable belief that murder was committed and that “Cagas, Fernandez, Ordaneza and Sanchez are probably guilty thereof.”
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