Bombo reporter survives slay try

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A reporter of Bombo Radyo Philippines survived an attempt on his life after he was shot with a homemade shotgun Wednesday night in a videoke bar in front of their station in Barangay Mandalagan here.

The gunman, identified as jeepney driver Diosdado Virtucio, was arrested in Talisay City by responding policemen during a pursuit operation.  The homemade shotgun, however, was not recovered.

Twenty-six years old Alfonso “Pons” Espino, who joined the radio network two years ago covers the defense beat. He sustained minor bruises in the neck during the incident.

Espino said he and three other Bombo employees were relaxing at the videoke bar when Virtucio suddenly approached them and shot him without any provocation. 

When he realized that he was not fatally hurt, he and his companions chased the suspect who managed to escape.

Bacolod Police Station 3 commander Leonardo Borromeo said that Virtucio admitted to have shot Espino after the latter allegedly refused to provide him a tape recording where he was allegedly maligned by the reporter.

Virtucio furthered that he was ridiculed by Espino, while he was asking a copy of the tape recordings, and that he got mauled as a result of commentaries aired against him at Bombo Radyo, police investigations showed.

Espino, a member of the Negros Defense Press Corps, said he recalled that Virtucio went to Bombo Radyo station sometime last year to demand for a copy of the broadcast report where he was allegedly the subject of an unfavorable commentary.

He, however, could not recall a report involving the suspect, even suggesting that it might be with another radio station. Before Virtucio left the station, Espino said he even advised him on what to do and told to him that he may channel his request to the National Telecommunications Commission.

Police investigations showed that Virtucio placed Espino under surveillance, before he got his chance to shoot his victim on Wednesday night.

Espino said he is determined to press charges against Virtucio, who remained locked up at PNP Station 3.

Four hard-hitting anchormen of Bombo Radyo in Region 6 – Eddie Suede, Rico Arcones, Frank Palma and Heherson “Boy” Hinolan, were killed in separate assassination incidents, police records showed.