Cebu radioman gunned down

A local radio journalist was fatally shot by an unidentified man late last night (01 December) in Talisay City, Cebu, around 580 kilometers south of Manila.

George Benaojan, 27 (28 in other reports), a reporter of radio station dyDD, died at around midnight at a local hospital barely three hours after sustaining gunshot wounds in the mouth, chest, and neck from a .45 caliber pistol, a report by Sun.Star Cebu said.

Shortly after killing the journalist, the lone gunman fled aboard a white taxi.

The local police is yet to determine the motive of the killing, but colleagues said Benaojan has been receiving death threats through SMS. Meanwhile, Provincial Director Supt. Vicente Loot immediately formed a task force to look into the reporter’s slay.

Benaojan’s killing is the first recorded attack against journalists this year in the provincial island of Cebu. Allan Dizon was gunned down 27 November last year, but his murder is widely-believed to be motivated by a personal grudge.

Also last year (05 August), Benaojan, along with two companions, were ambushed by still unidentified assailants. However, he managed to shoot back using superior firearms.

Just barely a week ago, two journalists, Ricardo Uy and Roberto Ramos, were killed in two separate incidents in southern Luzon.

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) is still trying to determine the circumstances behind Benaojan’s murder. ###

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