LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Bicol police regional director Cecilio Calleja has ordered Task Force Olea to gather all the necessary evidence and identity of the gunman who killed Romeo Olea, a reporter and commentator of radio station dwEB-FM, Monday in Barangay San Jose in Iriga City, Camarines Sur.
Calleja said a team from Iriga City police has been placed on duty at the residence of the Olea family in Barangay San Miguel.
A case conference was held in Iriga City police office attended by Chief Superintendent Victor Deona, Bicol Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy director, Superintendent Edwin Diocos of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana, Camarines Sur police provincial director and Task Force Olea ground commander.
During the meeting, Mrs. Rachel Olea, a non-uniformed personnel of Iriga City police, turned over to the CIDG the cassette recorder and her husband’s cell phone as part of the on-going evidence collection.
The two empty shells found at the crime scene by a team from Iriga City police were also turned over to the Camarines Sur provincial police crime laboratory for ballistic examination.
Olea was on his motorcycle when a gunman riding in tandem on another motorcycle shot him in front of the Holy Child Learning Center at Barangay San Jose in Iriga City at 5:50 a.m.
The victim sustained two bullet wounds at the back died at the Rinconada Medical Center in Iriga City.
His killing happened 11 months after the murder of another dwEB reporter, Miguel Belen, who was shot seven times last July 9, 2010 in Barangay San Jose Pagaron in Nabua, Camarines Sur by two assailants on a motorcycle. The suspect were later identified as an NPA rebel.
Other Bicol newsmen that were murdered were Ronaldo Julian of dzLB in Camarines Sur, who was killed in 2008, Ruel Endrinal of dwRl, Jun Villanueva of dzGB, Dyunyor Joe of dzRC, Nelson Nadera of Masbate. – Celso Amo