PANGASINAN – A broadcaster and writer at a local newspaper here was gunned down by unidentified assailants as he was about to return to his residence in Sitio Licsab, Barangay San Blas in Villasis, Pangasinan early Tuesday, November 10.
Police identified the victim as Virgilio Maganes, a freelance radio commentator and writer at local paper Northern Watch.
Initial investigation showed that Maganes had just stepped out to buy cigarettes, and was about to return to the family residence at around 6:45 a.m. when two men onboard a motorcycle arrived, and riddled him with six shots. He died on-the-spot.
“Talagang target siyang patayin sa dami ng ipinutok na bala sa katawan nito (His assailants really meant to kill him with the number of gunshots he sustained),” a police officer told The Manila Bulletin.
Police were still determining the motive for the killing.
Interestingly, Maganes’ fatal shooting came nearly four years to the day that he survived a gun attack last November 8, 2016.
He was commuting to dwPR, a local radio where he was anchoring an 8 a.m. program in Dagupan City, when he was fired at by gunmen, who were onboard a motorcycle.
Police Regional Office( PRO) 1 Director Police Brigadier General Rodolfo S Azurin, Jr has ordered immediate activation of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Maganes.
“I directed the PD (Provincial Director) Pangasinan to activate SITG Maganes, and find out the possible motive of the killing, and (work for) the immediate solution of the case,” Azurin said.