THE Presidential Task Force on Media Security on Wednesday said Bislig Mayor Librado Navarro had allegedly sent death threats to Prime Broadcasting Network general manager and ptogram host Christopher Lozada prior to his death.
In a statement, it said Lozada had filed a complaint with the Task Force regarding the death threats, prompting it warn Navarro against further threatening Lozada.
The strongly worded letter to Navarro issued on Oct. 24 warned the mayor “to desist from threatening Christopher Lozada,” adding that “in case any untoward incident happens to him, we will include you (the mayor) as a possible perpetrator of the same.”
The task force issued the red-flag letter after Lozada alleged that his life was being threatened by the mayor.
Based on Lozada’s complaint, the mayor allegedly texted the broadcast executive “to leave Bislig if you do not want to die” and that “he would step down with Lozada who will go to the cemetery since his days are numbered.”
“Lozada further suspected that Navarro wanted him killed because the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his removal as mayor based on the complaint [for] grave misconduct he filed against the latter,” reads part of the task force’s statement.
“Sadly, Lozada was killed even before the letter-warning could reach the mayor,” according to the task force.
Navarro has denied any involvement in the killing.
The 29-year old radio broadcaster was killed at around 9 pm Tuesday in Purok 5, Barangay Coleta, Bislig City, Surigao Del Sur after unidentified men opened fire at his vehicle.
His companion, Honey Faith TuycoIndog, was wounded.
The broadcaster had earlier refused the task force’s offer of a security detail. He had said he just wanted to document the threats against him so that in case he was harmed, the task force could run after the mayor.
On the advice of the presidential task force, Lozada had submitted a complaint with several attachments, primarily the mayor’s alleged threats against him.
The murdered broadcaster had been further advised to be careful in his travels and movements especially since he refused to avail of a security detail from the National Police or the military.
It was also learned that Lozada was in the Department of the Interior and Local Government the day before he was killed to press the agency to immediately serve the dismissal order against the mayor.
The task force strongly condemned the killing of Lozada and vowed to actively pursue the case against the perpetrators.
“The PTFOMS condemns in the strongest possible terms the killing of Christopher Lozada. As a matter of policy, PTFOMS presumes Lozada’s death as a media killing and falls under its mandate in relation to Administrative Order No. 1 (AO1) of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to protect the life, liberty, and security of media workers,” the task force said.
PTFOMS executive director Jose Joel Sy Egco instructed Supt. Eder Collantes of Task Force Usig of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management of the Mational Police to immediately investigate the killing and update the task force.
“We will take active participation in the filing of a case against the perpetrators of his murder, furnishing the police and the prosecutors’ office, all documentary evidence we have collated. The PTFOMS will keep a close watch and strictly monitor the progress of this investigation and even provide legal assistance, if necessary,” the task force said.
“We seek justice no less for Mr. Lozada,” the PTFOMS said. (pna)
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