Suspect in Bukidnon radioman’s slay falls in drug sting

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – An anti-narcotics operation last Wednesday led to the arrest of a suspect in the killing of Bukidnon broadcaster Joas Dignos in Malaybalay City, authorities said.

Rayford Yap, deputy regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), said a .45-caliber pistol with eight bullets was found in the possession of suspect Raul Pregno.

Pregno was nabbed as PDEA agents served a search warrant for former policeman Esterio Pamisa, who was also apprehended and whose house yielded 50 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P400,000 and drug paraphernalia.

Yap said the illegal drug could have come from Metro Manila as there are no shabu laboratories in Bukidnon.

Dignos, a blocktimer of dxGT Radyo Abante in Maramag, Bukidnon, was gunned down in Valencia City last Nov. 29. He sustained 28 gunshot wounds.

Dignos’ colleagues had described him as a hard-hitting commentator.