Broadcaster slain, partner hurt in Surigao Sur ambush

SURIGAO City – A broadcaster in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur was shot dead while his common law wife sustained a bullet wound in an ambush on Tuesday night.

Authorities identified the victim as Christopher Iban Lozada, 29, operations manager and a program host of DxBF Prime Broadcasting Network.

He was reportedly driving home with Honey Faith Indog Tuyco, 25, at around 9 pm when unidentified gunmen  staged the attack.

Chief Insp. Joseph Gementiza, deputy chief of police of Bislig City, said Lozada was killed instantly after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds on his chest and head. Tuyco was wounded on her shoulder and was rushed to the Andres Soriano Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Gementiza said they have yet to determine the motive behind Lozada’s murder.

Police investigators found out that Lozada had received death threats.

Gementiza said Lozada had gone to their police station twice to report the death threats.

Police said Lozada, who had hosted a daily commentary program called “Batikos,” received threats via text messages on Sept. 26, and Oct. 12 and 19. He posted the threats on his Facebook page.

Lozada was driving his car and upon reaching Purok 5 in Barangay Coleto in Bislig, they were shot with AK-47 and M-16 rifles automatic rifles by gunmen in a van.

Gementiza said they recovered empty shells of both rifles at the crime scene.

Lozada was also reportedly involved in the filing of charges against Bislig Mayor Librado Navarro and 11 other local officials who were ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman last month.

The case stemmed from an alleged anomalous deal on July 18, 2012, which involved a purchase of a Komatsu crawler-type hydraulic excavator worth P14.7 million from Cebu-based RDAK Transport Equipment Inc..

For his part, Navarro declined to comment on the incident. He said he still needed details from police and he was still in Cagayan de Oro, attending the National Organic Agriculture Congress.

“On behalf of the City of Bislig, may I express my deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family of the late Christopher Lozada,” the mayor said.

He said Lozada was the spokesperson of his political rival in the local elections in 2013 which he won handily but went on to file three libel cases against Lozada in court.

The day before he was gunned down, Lozada went to the Department of Interior and Local Government regional office in Butuan City to follow up on the case on the purchase of the hydraulic excavator.

Lozada was the complainant in nine graft cases against Navarro and city hall workers.

Lozada had been exposing on air and posting on his Facebook account the deaths threats he had been receiving from text messages and anomalous callers.

Wild accusations against Navarro spread on social media.

Navarro retorted that the social media attacks against him were the handiwork of his political opponents to damage his name and reputation.

“Who is stupid  enough to post a message in public to order the killing of a person?” he asked rhetorically.

Even as he denied involvement in the killing, the mayor said Lozada had already made many enemies in the neighboring areas of Bislig for the complaints that had piled up because he had been treating patients with his “Dok Alternatibo” alternative medicines.

Since 2009, the province of Surigao del Sur had recorded a total of seven gun attacks involving radio broadcasters. Six of the broadcasters were killed.

Among the victims were Godofredo Linao Jr., who was killed in Barobo town in July 27, 2009; Datu Roy Quijada Gallego in October 14, 2011 in Lianga town; Michael Milo in December 8, 2013 in Tandag City; Apolonio Suan, a provincial board member who hosted a radio program over Real FM in Bislig, who was shot on board his van in July 14, 2016; and Joe Climaco, host of a local TV program that was linked to radio stations, who was killed in Aug. 25, 2016.

In July, a radio broadcaster in Marihatag town survived a gun attack.

Julito Orillaneda, 35, owner and operator of the DxJB FM, was about to disembark from a tricycle when the gunman on a motorcycle shot him several times, hitting him in the head, neck, face and right arm.

Orillaneda has been a hard-hitting radio commentator and staunch critic of Marihatag Mayor Raul Cubil.

Of all the incidents no single suspect has been prosecuted, according to local journalist Judith Suarez.

The NUJP said, “If his killing is proven to be related to his work as a journalist, Lozada would be the fifth media practitioner murdered under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and the 178th since 1986.” (roel catoto of mindanews)