Tanza, Cavite police chief relieved from post over journalist killing

The chief of police in Tanza town in Cavite has been sacked after being implicated in the killing of a journalist in Bacoor last week.

Police Supt. Conrado Villanueva was administratively relieved from his post after his name was mentioned by a witness to the shooting death of Remate reporter Robelita "Rubie" Garcia, a statement released by the Philippine National Police on Monday said.

"A lone witness described the gunman as male, more or less 30 years old, six feet in height, of medium build, fair complexion and tattoo in the arms," the statement read.

Investigators have generated an artist’s sketch of the suspected gunman based on descriptions provided by eyewitness to the shooting, it added.

Garcia was shot at least four times on Sunday morning. She was brought to a hospital but died Sunday afternoon.

"Minutes after she was gunned down… Rubie Garcia, managed to tell her son, Tristan, the name of Supt. Conrado Villanueva, as the 'brains' behind the attack against her," according to a statement released by the National Press Club on Monday.

However, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac explained that Villanueva is not yet considered a suspect, noting that he was only relieved from his post in order to ensure that he would not influence the investigation.

"This is an administrative relief because there have been reports that he had an altercation with Ms. Robelita Garcia before the killing," Sindac told reporters.

Villanueva has been temporarily replaced by Cavite deputy provincial director Police Supt. Joseph S. Javier.

"We are now looking for the second witness," Sindac noted.

Meanwhile, the authorities have activated a tracker team to hunt down the suspects in the shooting of Garcia. 

Cavite provincial director Sr. Supt. Joselito Esquivel Jr. has also ordered the activation of a special investigation task force group (SITG). SITG “Rubie” will coordinate all investigative efforts of the Provincial Criminal Investigation Detection Team, Provincial Highway Patrol Team, Regional Intelligence Office, and Scene Of Crime Operations (SOCO), the PNP statement said. — Rouchelle R. Dinglasan/BM, GMA News