Family of slain Dumaguete broadcaster to get security, justice
The wife of slain broadcast journalist Edmund Sestoso will be given security as Malacañang has vowed to speed up resolution of the radioman’s murder last April 30 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
Acting on orders of President Duterte, Malacañang officials led by Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar visited the wake of Sestoso in Dumaguete last Thursday and extended the President’s condolences to the victim’s family.
Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, executive director of
the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, was with Go and Andanar.
It was the first time senior Cabinet officials visited the wake of a slain media man.
Go told reporters he ordered Senior Supt. Edwin Portento, acting police provincial director, to provide security to Lourdes, the victim’s wife, and the rest of the Sestoso family after she expressed fear that the killers of her husband would go after them.
“I told them that you have nothing to do with whatever caused his death. Don’t worry, no one is going to harm you,” Go said.
He assured her that everything is being done to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
Go directed law enforcement agencies, particularly the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), to make sure that justice is served.
The President’s trusted aide said a cash reward of P400,000 has been raised for the arrest of the gunmen with P200,000 coming from the national government and P100,000 each coming from Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo.
Aside from pledging to provide burial assistance, Go gave Sestoso’s family P20,000 and two mobile phones for the two children so they can contact him any time.
Andanar expressed his grief over the death of Sestoso, a colleague he knew during his days as a practicing journalist.
“He was a very good guy to talk to, very energetic, very animated,” he said. “We in the Presidential Task Force on Security will make sure that our media men are secured.”
The attack against Sestoso is reportedly the first against a member of media in Dumaguete City. He was the anchor of a daily block time program “Tug-anan” on dyGB 91.7 FM.