Dumaguete radio blocktimer shot dead

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – A radio blocktimer was gunned down by unidentified assailants on 7 November 2019 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

Dumaguete City is 639.71 kilometers south of Manila. Blocktiming is a Philippine practice in which broadcasters buy blocks of time to air sponsored programs.

Dindo Generoso of dyEM 96.7 FM Bai Radio was driving to the station for his morning program when he was shot by motorcycle-riding suspects. The incident happened along Hibbard Avenue in Brgy. Piapi.

Generoso was the host of the segment “Konsensiya ng Probinsya,” which is sponsored by the local government of Dumaguete City. The segment aired Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., as part of the morning program Good Morning Dumaguete from 6 to 9 a.m.

Ely Dejaresco, station manager of Bai Radio, told CMFR in a telephone interview that Generoso discussed city government programs and projects in his segment. He also invited stakeholders in various issues as guests.

Dejaresco told CMFR that Generoso had never engaged in any form of hard-hitting commentary, as blocktimers are asked to follow the guidelines of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).

Dejaresco said Generoso did not say anything about receiving threats prior to his death. Bai Radio has not been threatened in any way either.

The local police has not established a motive for the killing.

An RMN Kalibo report identified Generoso as a blocktimer in another station, dySR FM, which is also based in Dumaguete City. DySR confirmed to CMFR that Generoso had been a blocktimer with them before going to dyEM, but has not yet responded as to what his blocktime program in dySR was. 

In a statement, Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo said he is “saddened and outraged by this dastardly act of cowardice which has no place in decent society especially in the peace-loving city of Dumaguete.”

Generoso is the second journalist killed in Dumaguete in the last two years. On 30 April 2018, radio anchor Edmund Sestoso of dyGB FM was gunned down in this city and died a day later. Sestoso was the first journalist to be killed in the Philippines in 2018, days ahead of the annual celebration of World Press Freedom Day.

As of November 8, media reports said that the Negros Oriental Provincial Police had taken two suspects into custody, one of whom is a retired policeman. The gunman, whom police said is an active police officer, is still at large.

If his murder is work-related, Generoso will be the 166^th journalist killed in the line of duty since 1986, and the 14^th under the Duterte administration.