Photographer shot dead in Tagum City

A former photographer of the Davao del Norte provincial government was shot dead by an unknown assailant on Sunday, June 30, the police reported.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 11 Office identified the victim as Reymond Molina Paciol, 28, a native of Bunawan in Davao City.

Paciol is listed as a transient of Bersabal Residence, Purok Galingan in Tagum City.

The shooting incident occurred about 5:45 p.m. on Sunday at Purok Galingan in Barangay Mankilam in Tagum City.

Initial investigation showed that Paciol was riding his motorcycle and was shot several times by a motorcycle-riding suspect as he was about to open the gate.

The victim was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician, identified as Dr. Leeniel Rala.

The suspect, meanwhile, fled to an unknown direction.

In a statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) identified the victim as Reymond Facion, a former cameraman of the state-run People's Television.

"Initially, the police are looking at personal grudge as the motive behind the killing of Facion, whose contract as cameraman of PTV Davao del Norte ended on the same day as his death," said Kath Cortez, NUJP Media Safety Officer in eastern Mindanao.

"Facion is the second member of media killed in Davao del Norte under the Duterte administration," the group added, referring to Dennis Denora, the publisher and reporter of trends and Times who was shot dead in Panabo City on June 7, 2018.

"If the killing turns out to be work-related, Facion's would be the 13th media killing under this administration, and the 18th since 1986," the group said. — with Anna Felicia Bajo/ BAP, GMA News