Justice Department orders filing of charges against former officials for murder of journalist

CMFR/Philippines – The Department of Justice on 26 August 2014 ordered the Investigating Prosecutor and Prosecutor General to file charges against two former elected officials for the June 2010 murder of journalist Nestor Bedolido Sr. in Digos City, Davao del Sur province.

Resolving a motion for reconsideration filed by Bedolido’s kin, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the filing of  murder charges against former Dava del Sur governor Douglas Cagas and Matanao town mayor Vicente “Butch” Fernandez.

De Lima reversed the October 2013 resolution of the Prosecutor General and the January and April 2012 resolutions of the Investigating Prosecutor clearing Cagas and Fernandez of the murder.

In October 2010, the alleged gunman, Voltaire “Boyet” Mirafuentes, surrendered to authorities and said Cagas and Fernandez coerced him into killing Bedolido. The Prosecutor General and Investigating Prosecutor both resolved that his testimony was not admissible as evidence in court.

The preliminary investigation of the case was transferred to Manila in June 2010.

Bedolido was the editorial consultant of the weekly Kastigador (Castigator) and publisher of the Mt. Apo Current magazine. His colleague at Kastigador earlier told  CMFR that Bedolido previously worked for the provincial magazine of Cagas, but later transferred to the Mt. Apo Current controlled by Cagas’s political rival. On 19 June 2010, he was shot dead in Digos City.

On 31 July 2014, the witness who identified Mirafuentes as the gunman, Ritchie Manapol, was shot dead in Davao City.

CMFR has recorded 145 journalists and media workers killed in the line of duty since 1986. Only 14 cases have resulted in the conviction of the gunmen involved.  No mastermind has been convicted.