Broadcaster shot dead in Davao

DAVAO CITY— Unidentified assailants on a motorcycle shot dead a broadcaster of the Catholic-run dxHM radio station based in Mati City as he was leaving Tarragona, Davao Oriental, on Tuesday, the police said.

Nestor Libaton, 47, had just attended a fiesta celebration in Barangay Ompao and was on his way home to Mati City on a motorcycle, along with colleague Eldon Cruz, at around 2 p.m. when he was shot by three men on a motorbike.

Senior Police Officer 1 Omar Palma, investigator at the Tarragona Police, said the gunmen had initially fired shots in the air, which prompted Cruz—the driver—to slowdown and make a U-turn.

But Libaton, Palma said, disembarked from the motorcycle to confront the gunmen.

It was at this point that they took turns in shooting Libaton. The gunmen fled toward the direction of Tarragona.

Libaton, who was hit in the face and body was rushed to the Davao Oriental Hospital but died without receiving any medical treatment, Dr. Lailani Conol and Dr. Benhur Catbagan, the attending physicians, said.

Juvy Tanio, Mati City information officer and a colleague of Libaton in dxHM, said authorities recovered six empty shells and one live bullet from .45 and .38 caliber pistols from the crime scene. Reports from Nico Alconaba and Dennis Santos, Inquirer Mindanao