The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has condemned the killing of a radio broadcaster in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
“This dastardly deed will not go unpunished. Whoever is behind this senseless murder will be brought to justice,” PTFoMS executive director, Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco said.
“Whoever is behind this senseless murder will be brought to justice.”
Based on the initial report given by Police Maj. Jesus Mesahon Jr. to Sy Egco, radio block-timer Dindo Generoso was traversing Hibbard Avenue in Barangay Piapi, Dumaguete City on a brown Hyundai Elantra on his way to his 8 a.m. radio program on Bai Radio when gunned down by unidentified gunmen riding in tandem on a black motorcycle.
Generoso succumbed to eight gunshot wounds in his body.
After the incident, the assailants fled the scene toward an unknown direction.
Police investigators Julito Deloria and Rowel Peral immediately responded to the crime together with rescue EMS personnel.
Police recovered from the scene seven empty caliber .45 shells. A slug of an unknown gun caliber was also recovered inside the victim’s car.
Probers are now conducting a follow-up investigation to identity the gunmen.
The body of the victim has already been brought to the Silliman Medical Center.
Generoso was an anchor for development programs of the local government, including a controversial reclamation project that was halted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently.
His radio program in Bai Radio is sponsored by the city government of Dumaguete as an extension of its public information office.
Aside from the ongoing police investigation, Sy Egco said he was also getting information from the local media.
The PTFoMS database shows that around 22 block-timers have been killed since 2003.
“Blocktimers have been particularly vulnerable because of their involvement with politicians as a whole.”
“Blocktimers have been particularly vulnerable because of their involvement with politicians as a whole. The Task Force calls on our various media groups and stations, and all media practitioners to take a deeper look into the practice of block timing vis-à-vis its inherent dangers,” the Communications official said.
During the May 2016 elections, Generoso ran in the mayoral race but lost.
PTFoMS is also closely coordinating with the Dumaguete police to identify the motive for Generoso’s murder.
The task force presumes that any form of media-violence is work-related until a further investigation proves otherwise, Sy Egco said.