Possible motives in Davao radioman’s slay trimmed down

DAVAO CITY – Police authorities are now focusing on at least a third of the more than a dozen possible motives behind the Christmas Eve killing of Davao radio commentator Fernando “Batman” Lintuan.

Southern Mindanao regional police director Andres Caro II said the multi-agency Task Force Batman has been working double time pursuing leads on the case.

Lintuan was popularly known here as “Batman” for Batang Mandaya, indicating his being a member of the Mandaya tribe of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.

Senior Superintendent Benhur Mongao, Region 11 chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and head of Task Force Batman, told The STAR he could not divulge yet what exactly his group is working on.

“The investigation is going on. We are gathering evidence,” he said.

Aside from the CIDG, Task Force Batman also comprises the National Bureau of Investigation and the intelligence divisions of both the Southern Mindanao and Davao City police.

“We are working hard to make sure that we are really able to solve the case,” Caro said.

However, Caro also refused to divulge what exactly the leads the investigators are pursuing.

The probe has reportedly centered on Lintuan’s stinging commentaries in his radio program on Aksyon Radyo dxGO and text messages on his cellular phone.

The text messages on Lintuan’s phone and the recordings of his radio program were reportedly duly transcribed and authenticated by the National Telecommunications Commission.