Murder rap filed vs. suspect in Davao journo slay

A murder complaint has been filed against the suspect in the October 30 killing of journalist Orlando "Dondon" Dinoy in Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) identified the suspect as Brandie Mercado Campaner alias "Bos-Bos."

According to PTFoMS executive director Joel Sy Egco, Campaner was "identified by several eyewitnesses as the gunman who shot and killed Dinoy."

The complaint was filed with the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Davao del Sur under NPS Docket Number XI-04-INV-21K-00299.

Egco said Dinoy's killing was not related to his work as reporter for Newsline Philippines.

"While the case is deemed non-work related, we will continue to monitor and work double-time to catch his killers and whoever may be behind them," he said.

The PTFoMS official said three possible motives for the killing have been unearthed by investigators from the Bansalan Municipal Police Station, the strongest being personal grudge in relation to the victim's other endeavors outside of his work.

Egco also said that eyewitnesses to the crime will be referred to the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice.

Dinoy's killing came a day after the Philippines was included among the worst countries when it comes to unsolved killings of journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists' (CPJ) Global Impunity Index 2021.  —KBK, GMA News