Journalist murder suspects surrender

Journalist murder suspects surrender

PHILIPPINES: Two men sought for the killing of a journalist in the southern Philippines surrendered on Tuesday, police said.

Former policeman Ephraim Englis, along with Alfonso Tuquero, turned themselves into police in the southern city of General Santos, local police chief Sr. Supt. Willie Dangane said.

Both men were sought by police for the murder of Eliseo Binoya, a radio reporter gunned down there in June.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said the surrender was a result of intensified police work after President Gloria Arroyo last week ordered them to solve a spate of killings targeting journalists.

"While the General Santos suspects have denied involvement in the Binoya killing, their surrender is a breakthrough in that it pushes the investigation forward and allows due process to take its course," the journalists' group said a statement.

"This only proves that the cooperation of the police and the media community is crucial in dealing with the numerous killings of Filipino journalists the past years," it said.

Arroyo last week created a special police task force to solve the spate of killings. --AFP