Aklan broadcaster survives attack
A broadcaster in the capital town of Kalibo in Aklan escaped unhurt from an alleged assassination attempt by unidentified gunmen Friday evening.
Che Indelible, 35, news director of radio station dyYM, a community radio station ran by the local government, escaped at least two gunmen after he sought refuge inside a hospital.
Indelible said in a telephone interview Sunday that he was riding his motorcycle on his way to his boarding house from a cockpit around 11:45 p.m. when he was attacked.
"I heard somebody shout 'Hoy!' then followed by two gunshots," said Indelible.
Indelible continued driving his motorcycle and ran inside his boarding house along F. Quimpo Street and called a policeman to report the incident.
When he came out a few minutes later, he saw two teenagers and accosted them, suspecting them to be accomplices of the gunmen.
But Indelible sought cover again behind a parked vehicle then inside the St. Jude Hospital a few meters away when he heard at least two more gunshots.
Police recovered slugs and cartridges from .38 and .45 caliber hand guns.
Indelible said he believed the shooting was related to issues that he has tackled in his commentaries. He declined to specify what issues, saying he did not want to hamper the police investigation but said that two suspected gunmen had criminal records.
But police said the shooting is not work-related.
"Nakursonadahan lang (They took a fancy on him)," Senior Supt. Clarence Guinto, Aklan police director, said in a telephone interview on Sunday.
The suspects were young men including minors. The mother of one of the suspects sent surrender feelers assuring the police their cooperation, according to Guinto.
He said they have identified the gunmen and are conducting a hunt for the suspects but declined to identify them as not to hamper their operations.
Media groups in Aklan, however, have condemned the incident and demanded a swift resolution of the case.
The groups included the Aklan chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Aklan Press Club, Inc., Aklan United Media Association, Aklan Media Forum, and the Press Photographers of the Philippines Aklan-Boracay Chapter.