CABANATUAN CITY – Three bullets from an unspecified caliber killed a local broadcaster after a lone suspect shot him while driving a single motorcycle at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Barangay Aduas, Cabanatuan City.
Julius Caesar Cauzo, 52, a member of the sangguniang barangay in Barangay Sibul, Talavera, Nueva Ecija, was on his way to radio station DWJJ and local television Channel 16 for his daily broadcast when the incident happened, reports said.
Supt. Walter Castillejos, Nueva Ecija police director, said a special task force was created for the speedy resolution of the case. The task force would convene Thursday afternoon.
Joselito Verde, a fellow announcer of the victim, said Cauzo visited his house and left at around 7:30 a.m. to bring a son to the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) here.
DWJJ and Channel 16 are owned by the family of City Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara.
Vergara described Cauzo as a person “who fears nothing,” in discussing issues, particularly in answering issues against HUC.
“He has been saying clearly that some people peddle lies when they say that tricycles will be banned in this city, for instance,” Vergara said.
But he refused to name names as to who could be behind the killing.
“I’m not pointing fingers. Ang sinasabi ko lang ay it’s a publicity war but it should never come to this,” Vergara said. “I’m not pointing fingers to anyone but if you’ll review all the tapes all the salimbayan (exchange of words) ng bawat istasyon ay hanggang do’n lang dapat,” he added.
Gov. Aurelio Umali who opposes the HUC bid also condemned the killing. “Hindi tama ito, No amount of reason can justify his killing,” Umali said in na text message.
Co-employees of Cauzo lamented that the incident happened while a gun ban is imposed in the city until December 1.
Angelina Cauzo, wife of the victim, said the last verbal attack her husband watched on a local television was this morning when an anchor allegedly read a supposed text message from a viewer.
“Kanina pong umaga ang huling bukas niya sa kabila, ba’t naman natapat na may nag-text daw dun sa announcer . Ang sabi, Julius masyado kang loyalista kay Mayor Jay. Sinungaling ka rin bumalik ka na lang sa Talavera,” she recounted.
Angelina and their children cry for justice.
