Malacañang on Monday identified the suspect in the killing of broadcaster Christopher Lozada as Rolly Mahilum, a close aide of Bislig City Mayor Librado Navarro.
Mahilum, who remains at large, is now the object of a nationwide police manhunt, according to Presidential Task Force on Media Security chief Joel Egco.
Lozada was gunned down in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur on Oct. 24 last year while he was driving home with his partner, Honey Faith Toyco, who was injured in the shooting.
However, Egco said the task force is not yet linking Navarro to the crime.
Egco said Navarro earlier filed a libel case against Lozada before the Bislig City Regional Trial Court Branch 29.
Lozada was operations manager and anchor of DXBF Prime Broadcasting Network where he was known as “Chris Rapido.”
The slain broadcaster, who posted on his Facebook account that he been receiving death threats, was a known critic of Navarro,
Lozada filed a complaint before the presidential task force regarding the death threats, prompting the group to send a warning to Navarro to stop threatening the broadcaster.
Lozada told the task force that Navarro wanted him killed because the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his removal as mayor based on the complaint for grave misconduct that the journalist filed against the public official.