AKLAN – The family of slain veteran journalist Juan “Johnny” Dayang has strongly criticized the Kalibo Municipal Police Station for declaring the murder case as “cleared,” calling the move premature, misleading, and legally inaccurate.
In a statement released on June 6, the family expressed alarm over what they described as a “deeply irresponsible” announcement, pointing out that the main suspect remains at large, and other alleged perpetrators and the possible mastermind have yet to be identified or arrested.
Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) clarified on Sunday, June 8, that the murder of Dayang had been deemed “cleared” under the parameters of Philippine National Police (PNP) Letter of Instructions 02/09, which defines a “cleared case” as one where at least one offender has been identified, there is sufficient evidence to charge them, and the case has been filed before the prosecutor or the court.
In this case, the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Dayang, formed by the APPO, filed a criminal complaint for murder against suspect Kim Wency “BB Boy” Bayang Antonio. The complaint is now undergoing preliminary investigation before the Department of Justice (DOJ) and subpoenas have been issued to key witnesses.
However, the Dayang family countered that the requirements for calling a case “cleared” had not been properly met.
“No arrests have been made, multiple suspects remain unidentified or unaccounted for, and the alleged mastermind has not been named or pursued,” read part of their statement.
They also criticized the police for withholding the identity of the suspect for several days, failing to issue a provincial alert to intercept him at exit points, and only naming one of three alleged gunmen so far.
“This case has not been solved. In fact, it appears barely investigated beyond surface-level details. We demand clarity, not choreography,” the family said.
Despite the police declaration, the APPO noted that SITG Dayang continues its efforts to determine the identities of other suspects involved in the killing and to gather sufficient evidence to file charges against them before the appropriate authorities.
The police also assured the Dayang family and the public that they remain committed to exhausting all means to bring all those responsible to justice.
Meanwhile, the Dayang family called on the PNP, the DOJ, and relevant agencies to retract the “cleared” declaration, pursue all suspects including the mastermind, and ensure transparency and coordination in the ongoing investigation.
They also thanked Aklan’s Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores and Kalibo’s Mayor Juris Sucro for offering a P500,000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators./PN
