Motorcycle-riding men kill broadcaster in Roxas

(Update) MANILA, Philippines - A radio broadcaster was shot dead in Roxas City in Capiz province on Thursday, the local police said. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, PO3 Domingo Acepcion of the Roxas City police identified the slain broadcaster as Martin Roxas, a 37-year-old production director and anchorman of RMN-DYVR Roxas. Roxas, 32, was a former employee of Bombo Radyo and RGMA Super Radyo before moving to RMN. He was also the auditor of the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) Roxas City chapter. Initial investigation showed that Roxas had just finished his noontime program and was going home aboard his blue motorcycle (PO-8956) when two gunmen riding a motorcycle in tandem followed him. The men opened fire on him along Bayot Drive in Roxas City, about a kilometer from the RMN radio station. Roxas slumped to the ground. Two tricycle drivers rushed him to the Capiz Emmanuel Hospital but it was too late for doctors to save him. He died from a gunshot wound to the back that pierced the heart. Police learned about the shooting incident through a phone call from a concerned citizen at about 1:25 p.m. “Hindi pa namin alam ang motibo pero ito ay magde-depende pagkatapos makausap ang pamilya ng biktima (We have no motive yet but it will depend on what the victim’s family will say)." Acielo said. The killing came less than a week after a radio anchor of Radio Mindanao Network was shot and seriously wounded in General Santos City. "This is a slap to the government's anti-criminality campaign, coming less than a week after another RMN broadcaster was shot and wounded in General Santos City," Joe Torres, NUJP chairman said. Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. condemned the incident and ordered police to solve the case. - GMANews.TV