A radio broadcaster was shot dead on his way to work in Dumaguete City, Thursday morning.
According to P/Major Jesus B Mesahon Jr. to Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, Dindo Generoso was driving along Hibbard Avenue in Baranggay Piapi, when a riding-in-tandem on a black motorcycle suddenly ambushed him at about eight o’clock.
The radio broadcaster was supposed to be on his program on the dyEM96.7 Bai Radio program when the unknown suspects shot him.
The victim received eight gunshot wounds to various parts of his body, causing him to die instantly.
“This dastardly deed will not go unpunished. Whoever is behind this senseless murder will be brought to justice,” USec. Egco said.
Generoso’s program is well-known for discussing local government’s development programs, including the controversial reclamation project that was stopped by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources last week.
According to PTFoMS, the victim’s program is a blocktimer supported by the Dumaguete public information office. Blocktimmers buy a timeslot at a station and look for advertisers and sponsors for the program. Usually, the station has no control over the content of the blocktimer program.
Presidential Task Force on Media Security said in its Facebook post, “PTFoMS database shows that around twenty-two (22) block timers have been killed since 2003.”
“Blocktimers have been particularly vulnerable because of their involvement with politicians as a whole. The Task Force calls on our various media groups and stations, and all media practitioners to take a deeper look into the practice of block timing vis-à-vis its inherent dangers,” added USec. Egco.
Generoso also ran for the mayoralty position last May 2016 elections but lost.