Dumaguete broadcaster shot
DUMAGUETE CITY — A radioman in Dumaguete City was in critical condition, as of yesterday afternoon, after he was shot by "riding-in-tandem" assailants near his boarding house at Barangay Daro of this city earlier in the morning.
The victim, 51-year-old Edmund Sestoso, married, sustained five gunshot wounds on his chest and lower limbs from a .45-caliber pistol and was still fighting for his life at the Silliman University Medical Center Foundation, said Dumaguete Police Chief Superintendent Jonathan Pineda in a phone interview.
Sestoso is a commentator for local radio station 91.5 DyGB FM, serving as the main host of the morning news and public affairs show "Tug-anan sa Power 91," and an anchorman of a daily radio program “Patas, Balanse, og Kadangpan sa qanan.”
Investigators said Sestoso boarded a tricycle (pedicab) with body number 1993 at about 10:30 a.m. in going to his boarding house in Aldecoa Street, at Barangay Daro in the city, not knowing that the attackers were tailing him.
When he was about to disembark from the tricycle to pay his fare, the two gunmen on a motorcycle shot him at close range several times. qhe assailants immediately fled the scene.
According to the pedicab driver Edgar Palomar, he was facing Sestoso while the gunman was firing from his back so he has no idea as to the identity of the suspects who fled westward quickly from the crime scene.
A surveillance footage from a hotel near the scene showed that a motorcycle, possibly used by the suspects, were following the tricycle Sestoso was on.
Recovered from the crime scene were three empty shells for cal. 45 pistol, two cellphones of the victim and one slug. Another slug for .45-caliber pistol was found during the surgery at the Silliman Medical Center.
Dumaguete City Police investigation head Senior Inspector Fortunato Villafuerte told reporters that while authorities have not yet determined the motive of the shooting, they are currently tracking Sestoso's last phone call, which allegedly came from a Tagalog-speaking individual.
One of Sestoso’s reporters, identified as Nikki, said that while the anchorman was on board at the station, his cellphone rang, and he overheard outside the studio that Sestoso was responding to the phone call in Tagalog. When checked later on the name of the caller was not in the victim’s phonebook.
Other angles being looked into may include Sestoso’s personal and political convictions, and his stand against illegal activities, among others. He was formerly anchorman of a paid radio blocktime of Gov. Roel Degamo where he figured in verbal tussles with those who criticized the governor.
In yesterday’s radio program, Sestoso was talking about a son of a prominent personality in the province who is in prison, went to Malacañang to ask for help, but no names were mentioned, telling his listeners to wait until tomorrow (supposedly today) where he will disclose the identity of the person. .
Juancho Gallarde, president of the Dumaguete Press Radio and TV Club Inc. (DPRCI) and a correspondent of The FREEMAN, condemned the shooting in an interview, calling it an act of "cowardice and stupidity" and an attack on press freedom.
"Nalusno ug nakuyawan ta kay dili ordinaryo ning nahitabo sa atong kauban. Kun duna moy kasuko ug kahiubos, idangop na sa korte, ayaw iagi ug pusil," he said, saying that he is convinced that the shooting is an extra-judical killing (EJK) attempt.
qhe Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP), headed by Sherlyn Abella, also lambasted and condemned “the dastardly act committed against a member of the fourth estate.”
qhe DPRCI and the KBP have called on the police to dig deeper in its investigation and give justice to the media in the city and province.
Sestoso’s wife Lourdes was quoted as saying that Edmund had threats in his life, but has been very secretive, refusing to talk anything about these with her.
For his part, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) special field investigator Jess Cañete said: “This is not an ordinary killing, this involves a media personality that can be considered an EJK and is a big threat.” He also urged the community to help and cooperate in solving the incident.