Text-date rape-slay suspect cartograph now with cops

Cebu - The Homicide Section of the Mandaue City Police Office now has the cartographic sketch of the suspect in the rape and killing of Emilie Nuñeza, a 24-year-old factory worker based at Mactan Export Processing Zone in Lapu-Lapu city.

Homicide chief Jorge Aniñon yesterday said that a coworker of the victim was able to identify her companion when they boarded a passenger multicab going to Mactan Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City after they met for the first time.

Aniñon also said that there could be two other men involved in Nuñeza’s killing with the way the crime was being carried out.

He said the victim’s hands were being tied with a rope while traces of nylon cord were discovered on her neck.

Meanwhile, DYKT Energy FM yesterday announced that it decided to put off its dating program “Hi Pangga” that has allegedly been the instrument of Nuñeza’s rape and murder.

Energy FM station manager Roger Calupe said in yesterday’s Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) monthly meeting that the decision was made to protect the station and the organization from involvement in the incident.

He said they would create another program that will be different from the previous program.

Energy FM decided to put off their program following the rape and killing of Nuñeza after she allegedly was going out with someone she met through the program.

Nuñeza and a certain Michael were able to exchange numbers and set their first meeting when the suspect swapped his cell phone with the victim and excused to buy some food but never returned.

Nuñeza set her second meeting with Michael on January 23, the last day she was seen alive, to get back her cell phone.

Since that day, she was reportedly missing until her decaying body was found in a grassy area at the back of a gasoline station in Mandaue City’s Reclamation Area on January 28.

Calupe said that they did not expect the incident to happen because they are not the only station airing the kind of program.

Calupe explained that they cannot control their callers, especially those seeking for textmates.

During their meeting, KBP officials discussed the measures that they would take to prevent such incident to happen again.

KBP Chairman Carlo Dugaduga, however, clarified that the KBP and Energy FM are not liable as to what happened to Nuñeza.

“We don’t want to be an instrument of a crime being done that’s why we have discussed how we, in the broadcast industry, could prevent those whose intention is really evil,” Dugaduga said.

Dugaduga said that they could not absolutely control everything and that stations could not choose calls they want to receive.

But the KBP reminded the listeners to beware of those who will likely take advantage of the opportunity.

Dugaduga also clarified that he is not banning dating shows. What he suggests and has been agreed by the body is to keep a record of the callers or texters, including their name and address.

Disk jockeys should have a production assistant to do this, Dugaduga said.

Stations are also reminded to always warn their audience from meeting with their textmates if they are apprehensive about their textmates’ character.

Lawyer Cynthia Barte, legal counsel of KBP, said that radio stations should not be blamed over the incident.

She said radio programs are just doing social responsibility by providing entertainment to its audience so there is no sense in banning the programs.

The Cebu Archdiocese Media Liaison Msgr. Achilles Dakay however said that he opposed the kind of program because it deviates from the usual way of courtship.

Dakay said the kind of program should be stopped because it does not promote the retention of the Filipino values with regards to courtship.

Cebu sixth district Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz said the KBP should regulate dating programs.

She also urged the police and barangay tanods to do their task every night in order to prevent criminal activities. — Flor Z. Perolina, Jessica Ann R. Pareja and Johanna Natavio/LPM (THE FREEMAN)