Publisher shot dead in General Santos City

Christopher Guarin, publisher of the community newspaper Tatak Bigtime News Nationwide and also a radio blocktimer, was the first journalist killed in the Philippines in 2012. If work-related, the killing will be the 7^th under the 18-month old Benigno Aquino administration.  His blocktime program, which focused on the benefits of some health products, was aired over Radyo Mo Nationwide (RMN) station dxMD in General Santos City.

Guarin, was on his way home with his wife and daughter when two gunmen riding in tandem on a motorcycle fired at the publisher. Guarin sustained five gunshot wounds in different parts of the body and was rushed to the General Santos City Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

According to Police Supt. Rolly Octavio, deputy chief for operations of the General Santos City police and in charge of the special investigation team looking into Guarin’s murder, the Guarins were approaching the subdivision where their home is when the gunmen fired.  

Octavio said Guarin, though already wounded, jumped out of the car to keep the attackers from firing at his wife and daughter. Police told CMFR that his wife said Guarin managed to run  some 15 meters away from his car, but  one of the gunmen caught up with him. Octavio said Guarin’s wife and daughter saw the publisher on the ground and pleading for his life before the fatal shots.

Octavio told CMFR that the victim’s wife and daughter were unable to identify the suspects. One was wearing a helmet, while the  other had covered his face with a piece of cloth.

The police think that the motive for the killing was not work-related because Guarin’s radio program and his newspaper did not cover controversial issues. The police are looking at other angles like the business rivalry between the community newspaper Brigada News and Guarin’s newspaper Tatak Bigtime News Nationwide. On 11 November 2011, Brigada News’ circulation manager was shot dead by unidentified gunmen riding in tandem on a motorcycle just outside the newspaper’s compound. The killing is believed to be business-related.

Meanwhile, Freddie Solinap, managing editor of Tatak, told CMFR last 6 January 2012 that Guarin had received a threatening text message last 3 January 2012 saying, “Ayaw na’g gawas sa estasyon karong gabii kay patyon ka namo (Don’t go out of the station tonight because we are going to kill you).” Solinap said that Guarin apparently did not take any precautions because after the program, he drove straight to his newspaper’s office to fetch his wife and daughter.

Solinap told CMFR that Guarin’s program in RMN’s dxMD and his articles in Tatak Bigtime News Nationwide did not tackle critical issues. But he said Guarin would sometimes receive text messages containing foul words from unknown senders. Guarin was former manager of the defunct RGMA Super Radyo and was previously a reporter for Bombo Radyo in General Santos City.

One response to “Publisher shot dead in General Santos City”

1. Harassments marked start of 2012 | Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility says:

   January 13, 2012 at 11:49 am

   […] five days after the killing of publisher and blocktimer Christopher Guarin in General Santos City, unidentified men tried to burn down a university-run radio station in […]

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