New suspect in Ortega killing surrenders

A new suspect in the killing of Palawan radio broadcaster Gerardo Ortega last Jan. 24 surrendered to authorities before dawn Monday, and may bolster the case against the suspected gunman and his lookout. Radio dzBB's Palawan affiliate reported that the suspect, identified as Arvin Arandia, was to be brought to Manila to attend the preliminary investigation for suspected gunman Marlon Ricamata Camata and lookout Dennis Aranas. The report quoted National Bureau of Investigation officials in Palawan as saying that Arandia may have been part of the first batch contracted to kill Ortega. Arandia surrendered to running priest Roberto Reyes, claiming his conscience got the better of him. He said he went to Palawan in December 2010 for the job but was conscience-stricken and returned to his home province of Quezon instead. The NBI said his testimony may be valuable in the preliminary investigation against Ricamata and Aranas. Ricamata and Aranas were arrested shortly after the killing. In a statement issued in January, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) said Ortega was the 142nd journalist killed since 1986 when democracy was restored in the Philippine after Ferdinand Marcos was toppled. The NUJP added that "if the killing is proven to be work-related, he would be the second to be murdered under President Noynoy Aquino. The first was radio reporter Miguel Belen of Iriga, Camarines Sur." Rodolfo Edrad Another suspect, Rodolfo Edrad Jr., surrendered to authorities in Quezon province and provided information on who ordered the killing. Edrad was tagged as the "Jun-Jun Bomar" who contracted the services of Aranas and Ricamata to kill Ortega. Ortega was gunned down at a used-clothing store in Puerto Princesa City last Jan. 24, shortly after he finished his radio program for the day. Police arrested Ricamata shortly after the shooting, while Aranas was arrested less than a week later. Ricamata and Aranas pointed to "Bomar" as the one who recruited them. Edrad, Aranas and Ricamata were charged for the killing along with Armando Noel Loria a.k.a. Jun-Jun Salbakuta a.k.a. Jun Loria; and lawyer Romeo Seratubias. Ricamata had tagged Aranas as his companion in the kill job. Ricamata admitted being offered P150,000 for the job. Investigators have also started verifying information given by Edrad, including the supposed masterminds of Ortega’s killing. It said Edrad also claimed the masterminds had ordered the killing of at least two more Palawan-based broadcasters. — RSJ, GMA News