Pangasinan newsman implicated in mayor’s slay survives gun attack

MANILA, Philippines – The newspaperman tagged by his own son in the death of former Infanta, Pangasinan Mayor Ruperto Martinez survived a slay attempt by armed three men Tuesday.

Report from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) stated that Northern Star publisher Jaime Aquino was at a waiting shed in Menien West village in Santa Barbara town around 7 a.m. when one of the three gunmen fired shots at him.

Aquino ran to his car but another gunman shot him in the back. He was rushed to the Villaflor Hospital in Dagupan.

The police already arrested two suspects -William Garcia and Jerry Aquino – on Tuesday but have yet to determine the motive behind the slay attempt.

Aquino recently lost his bid to get custody of his 16-year old son whose testimony was used by the National Bureau of Investigation in filing a case against Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr. and 1st District Rep. Jesus “Boyong” Celeste.

Aquino’s son said he was present at a meeting between his father, Espino and Celeste where they discussed plan to kill Martinez over the so-called “itim na bato” or nickel found in the area.

Aquino’s son is under the care of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and non-government organization Akap-Bata Caritas.