Tarlac tabloid columnist shot dead

TARLAC CITY — A columnist of a weekly tabloid in this province is the latest journalist in the country to be felled by an assassin’s bullets.

Fifty-five-year-old Bonifacio Gregorio was gunned down by a lone assailant in front of his house shortly after he and his family had dinner at about 7:30 p.m. last Tuesday.

He is survived by his wife, Gertrudes, 54, who works as a medical technologist in the La Paz District Hospital, and their two children, Ma. Aurora Rosario, 31, a nurse in London; and Bonnie Fernando, 29.

Before joining the community media here, Gregorio served as chairman of Barangay Caramutan in La Paz town for nine years, from 1989 to 1997.

He was a medical technologist like his wife, and worked as laboratory technician of the Bureau of Lands from 1972 to 1975.

It was three years ago when he joined the local weekly tabloid Dyaryo Banat as one of its columnists, and became a member of the Tarlac Media Association, the breakaway faction of the bigger Tarlac Press and Radio Club.

Gregorio, who was shot at close range, sustained three gunshot wounds in the head. He was rushed to the La Paz District Hospital, but was later transferred to the Ramos General Hospital here, where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities still face a blank wall on who could have plotted Gregorio’s killing. Police are still determining from witnesses if there could be more than one assailant.

A witness told probers that the gunman merely fled on foot after shooting Gregorio. Sources said the police initially concluded that the assailant was a "professional killer."

Gregorio was known to be critical of La Paz Mayor Dionisio Manuel. His latest tirade against the mayor was the conversion of a former ricefield in La Paz into a memorial park, known as the Garden of Heaven, because it allegedly lacked the necessary documentary requirements set by law.

Coincidentally, the memorial park was inaugurated on the same day Gregorio was gunned down.

Manuel, however, vehemently denied having any hand in the killing.

"I am willing to be investigated," he said. "Everybody knows that I never harbored ill-feelings against anyone, especially mediamen, including those who are critical of me."

Print and broadcast journalists in the province have agreed to issue a strongly worded statement condemning Gregorio’s assassination.

Owners and editors of community weeklies have also agreed to publish a pooled editorial demanding authorities to immediately solve this recent attack on a member of the Fourth Estate.

Recently, Lucena City broadcaster Apolinario Pobeda was shot dead, and police have so far tagged three suspects, two of them detained.

Last June 12, another radioman, Noel Gillamac of Cebu City, survived a shooting incident.