The killing of a radio broadcaster in the mountain town of Mabinay, Negros Oriental Sunday night may be political in nature, investigators said.

LtCol. Roland Lavisto, Police Community Affairs and Development Unit chief of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (Noppo), said that Renato “Ray” Blanco was facing two libel charges and a complaint for violation of Republic Act 9262, or the law on “Violence Against Women and Children.”

Blanco, a radio broadcaster of Power 101.1 DYRY RFM in Mabinay town, was stabbed and died on Sunday.

The suspect, identified as Charles Yanoc Amada of Barangay Himucdongon, Mabinay, Negros Oriental, was arrested on Monday.

“Initially, a personal grudge was eyed in the death of Blanco, but further investigation showed that he was at odds with a barangay captain in Mabinay,” Lavisto said.

“Blanco was reportedly eyeing to run against the said village chief in the coming barangay elections.”

Lavisto said police investigators received information that Blanco had earlier called out the suspect on air, “challenging” him after learning that Amada had planned on stabbing him.

Maj. Paul Vincent Dumaguing, chief of the Mabinay Police Station, said the victim went to the house of Wilbert Amada, the brother of the suspect, in Barangay Himucdongon at around 6 p.m.

Dumaguing said an altercation ensued between Blanco and the Amadas, prompting the suspect to stab the victim from behind using a 10-inch knife.

The victim was then rushed to Mabinay Community Hospital for medical treatment but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

The suspect voluntarily surrendered to the barangay captain after the incident. He also turned over the knife he used in the crime.

The suspect is currently detained at the Mabinay Police Station.

Blanco used to be a broadcaster for radio station DYRD in Bohol province, where he became popular due to his hard-hitting commentaries in his “Nosi Balasi” program.

In 2010, he returned to his hometown in Bais City, Negros Oriental, where he continued his career in broadcasting.

Power 102.1 DYRY RFM, in a statement condemning Blanco’s killing, said that “the loss of a seasoned and caring commentator does not mean that his advocacy to defend the oppressed and abused people, especially the poor, will end.”

It added: “There is no democracy without an independent media. If you silence journalists, you silence the voice of democracy.”

Lavisto said the Noppo has received orders from higher headquarters to conduct a thorough investigation on the death of Blanco, the fourth media practitioner in Negros Oriental to be killed in recent years.

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has condemned the killing of Blanco and assured the family of “swift justice” for the victim.

In a statement, the task force extended its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim while “assuring that justice will be served against the perpetrator.”

The PTFoMS also hailed the PNP for its swift action and for immediately arresting the suspect.

“While it is still too early to determine the exact motive behind the incident, PTFoMS will presume the killing to be ‘work related’ as a matter of policy so that the full might of the Presidential task force will be brought to bear against the suspect,” PTFoMS said.

EUGENE ADIONG