CIDG, CCPO conduct parallel investigation over Cortes’ killing

Blood is splattered across the pavement outside the building that houses the DYRB – Cebu Radio Station in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City where blocktimer Rey Cortes was killed.  CDN Digital Photo |  Paul Lauro #CDNDigital

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police Major General Albert Ignatius Ferro, the director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), has released a directive to CIDG-7 to conduct a parallel investigation with the Cebu City Police Office on the killing of radio blocktimer Reynante Cortes. 

Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, CIDG-7 regional chief, said that they are already coordinating with the CCPO, particularly the Mambaling Police Station, to look for leads on Cortes’ attack which was carried out in broad daylight on Thursday, July 22.  

“Nag request (kami) para makakuha ng data doon sa CCTVs…mayroon na (CCTV) pero di pa na extract,” Dalogdog said.

(We requested to get data from the CCTVs in the area. We already have but we are yet to extract these.)

As of now, Dalogdog said that they could not disclose yet the possible motive of the broadcaster’s murder since they want to first look for any avaiiable information they can get from CCTV footage.

Dalogdog further revealed that so far, no witnesses have come out yet. 

He said that currently, they are actively coordinating with the family to know about the death threats that the broadcaster has received. 

With this, Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, the CCPO deputy director for operations said that they welcome the chance to work with CIDG-7.

As for the CCPO, Parilla said that they are backtracking the events that happened within 200 meters from where Cortes stood prior to his fatal shooting. They are looking for a vehicle that might be on standby when the incident happened.

“Atoa nani giconsider kung duna bay sakyanan nga nagstandby nga possibleng naay line of sight padung sa iyaha, nga possibleng nag-atang kay Rey Cortes,” Parilla said. 

(We are also looking at the possibility that a vehicle was on standby that might have a line of sight of the victim, with somebody inside possibly waiting for Rey Cortes.)

Over a theory that a sniper may have shot Cortes, Parilla said that they are not discounting that possibility but added that there were no high-rise buildings nearby that the shooter could use.

He also revealed that they would request individuals who were with Cortes moments before he was gunned down to undergo a lie detector test.

He, however, clarified that the close-in individuals are not persons of interest but will be interviewed to gather more information about the shooting.

Parilla was referring to the two bodyguards Cortes was with during the incident.

Regarding suggestions that Cortes’ bodyguards undergo a paraffin test, Parilla said that there is a higher probability that such a test would yield negative results since the incident happened more than 24 hours already. That’s why he opted for a lie detector test.

Cortes was shot just outside the building housing radio station dyRB in Barangay Mambaling right after he finished his program around 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 22.

The commentator was rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

With the absence of any witnesses, Parilla and Dalogdog admitted that they are facing a gargantuan task.

The two police officers, however,  assured the public that they will do all they can and use all available resources to ensure that justice will be served.

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Radio blocktimer in Cebu shot outside radio station

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