By Gabriela Baron
A radio anchor was gunned down by still unidentified motorcycle-riding suspects in Cotabato City on Monday night, Aug. 21.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesperson PBGen. Red Maranan identified the fatality as Mohammad Hessam Midtimbang.
Maranan, said Midtimbang, 32, was shot while he was about to board his vehicle.
He was the host of the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta, a radio program aired over Gabay Radio 97.7 FM.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) condemned the killing.
“We condemn this senseless act of violence as it has no place in our society,” PTFoMS Executive Director Paul Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said they already coordinated with the PNP and the Philippine Army for the probing of Midtimbang’s killing.
“Pending the result of the investigation as to the motive of the attack, we consider this as related to the work of the victim as a radio anchor,” he added.
Midtimbang’s father, Guidzuri, is the city administrator of Cotabato, while his brother, Wahab, is a city councilor.
Threat vs. journo
Meanwhile, Gutierrez said they are coordinating with the Manila Police District (MPD) to investigate the threat against veteran radio journalist David Oro.
Gutierrez said Oro sought the assistance of PTFoMS after receiving a bullet from a still unknown person.
Oro also received two bullet rounds two weeks ago.
Gutierrez said PTFoMS is taking the incident seriously and already asked the MPD to make a threat assessment on Oro and provide him with needed security.
Oro works as a radio host at DWIZ 882.
-ag
