Cop tagged as ‘person of interest’ in Negros Or. radioman’s slay

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Negros Oriental is reportedly investigating a police officer who was tagged as a person of interest in the murder of a radio broadcaster in Dumaguete City three months ago.

Lt. Col. Ariel Huesca, head of CIDG-Negros Oriental, said they raided the house of Police Executive Master Sergeant Reuel Piñero in Sibulan town on Wednesday by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Leoncio Bancoro of Regional Trial Court Branch 41.

The raid was related to the death of 48-year-old Cornelio Pepino, a regular news reporter and announcer of DYMD ENERGY 93.7 FM.

Officers of the Dumaguete and Sibulan Police Stations, Provincial Intelligence Branch, and Provincial Investigation and Detection Management Branch joined the raid.

Huesca said that Piñero, who is assigned as a tourist police and detailed at the Provincial Capitol, was present during the raid and was very cooperative.

Huesca said that authorities recovered a cellular phone and 131 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition, which were incidental to the search.

Huesca, who is also the assistant commander of the Special Investigation Task Group (STIG), said they cannot yet consider Piñero as a suspect, although they have recovered a cellular phone, which is one of the significant pieces of evidence that they are looking into in Pepino’s murder.

“We have pieces of evidence that would lead to a conclusion that he is a person of interest,” Huesca said.

Pepino said they will first secure a cybercrime warrant to open the locked phone as part of the procedure.

Pepino was killed in an ambush on May 5, 2020 by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen at Barangay Daro, Dumaguete City.

The victim was on his way home along with his wife who was unharmed in the attack.

Pepino’s wife called for a press conference on July 8, asking the public to help her identify the two men on board a black Yamaha Aero motorcycle.

It has been three months since the investigation into Pepino’s murder began.

Huesca said they are still gathering evidence, but he refused to reveal the number of persons of interest who are being investigated in the said case.

He said that they are hoping to finish the conduct of the investigation next month if there will be no challenges along the way.