Media worker shot dead

MANILA, Philippines – Unidentified gunmen shot dead an employee of a Koronadal City-based radio station in front of the South Cotabato Provincial hospital early Monday, April 30, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said (NUJP).

The NUJP said dxMC-Bombo Radyo Koronadal driver Rommel “Jojo” Palma, 31, who also did occasional on-air reporting, had just brought one of the radio reporters to a hospital and was about to park his vehicle when two motorcycle-riding men shot him twice.

One bullet hit his spine while another hit his neck, NUJP added.

Palma was declared dead at around 5.45 am, NUJP said.

Authorities identified the suspects as alias Bobot and alias Hagibis. They said the two suspects reportedly went to Palma’s house on April 22 in Barangay Concepcion, Koronadal city, to look for him. Since Palma was not around, one of the suspects told his family members, “Kinsay iyang gisaligan (Who is his protector?),” in reference to Palma.

NUJP said that aside from driving the Bombo Radyo service vehicle, Palma conducted live afternoon weather and area situation reports for the station.

Palma was the second media worker to be killed in the South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos City (Socsargen) area since January, according to NUJP.

On January 5, two men gunned down Tatak News publisher-editor Christopher Guarin while on his way home in Barangay Lagao. Guarin was with this wife and daughter when the incident happened.

The police had filed murder charges against an alleged “gun-for-hire” identified as Marvin Palabrica, who’s still at large. – Rappler.com