Riding-in-tandem gunmen attack Cebu radio broadcaster Rico Osmeña

CEBU CITY, Philippines –  Cebu radio commentator Rico Osmeña was shot by riding-in-tandem gunmen while riding a bus near Urdaneta Street in Cebu City around 1 pm on Thursday, December 16.

The suspects, who were riding motorcycle, followed the bus boarded by Osmeña. The suspects approached the left side of the moving bus, then shot him.

“Rico Osmeña was riding a minibus called BEEP when two unknown suspects shot at the left side of the minibus,” Major Edgar Labe, Waterfront Police Station chief told Rappler in a mix of Cebuano and English.

An unidentified female was also injured in the shooting when the bullet grazed her head. It was unclear if she was also a target of the ambush.

Both Osmeña and the female victim survived the attack.

Labe narrated that after the shooting, the bus driver continued to drive towards Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City. 

“When they reached Mabolo where they saw themselves safe with the police assistance, the victims were immediately rushed to a hospital,” Labe said.

Police are looking into the motive of the attack, whether it was work related or due to a personal grudge.

Osmeña is a radio blocktimer with local radio station dyLA and a stringer for the national newspaper Daily Tribune.

The shooting comes a week after journalist Jess Malabanan was shot dead in Calbayog City, Samar.

Last July, another radio commentator Renante Cortes was killed as he was leaving work at his radio station in Cebu City.– Rappler.com

 Art Lubiano is a Visayas-based journalist and an awardee of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship