POLICE operatives arrested yesterday the prime suspect in the killing of radio broadcaster Juan Jumalon, alias Johnny Walker, in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.
The suspect, identified as Julito Mangumpit, alias Ricky, was nabbed at around 3:10 a.m. on the strength of a warrant issued by Misamis Occidental Judge Michal Lotao in connection with Jumalon’s murder.
Authorities said Mangumpit has eight other standing warrants for various crimes, including murder, frustrated murder, direct assault and violation of the anti-drug law.
Jumalon was shot dead in his residence in Barangay Don Bernardo A. Neri in Calamba in the middle of his radio program. A video of the actual shooting went viral online.
The gunman pretended he was there to make an important announcement during Jumalon’s radio program and later shot the victim.
One of the two lookouts also entered the Jumalon compound while the other stayed outside with the getaway motorcycle.
The two other suspects in the killing, identified as Boboy Bongcawel and Renante Bongcawel, were nabbed by authorities last March 15 in Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental.
“We have already accounted all the suspects connected to the killing of Johnny Walker,” PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said.
“He (Mangumpit) is the primary gunman, he is the primary suspect. He was the one who entered (the house and shot Jumalon). We have already arrested all the suspects in the killing of Johnny Walker,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said the three suspects were members of a gun-for-hire syndicate.
Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez said the killing of Jumalon in Dipolog City, Zamboanga Del Norte last year is as “good as completely solved” following the arrest of the gunman.
Gutierrez lauded the police for the arrest of Mangumpit. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
