Wife’s tale ‘Jessie knew he was being targeted’
JESSIE Tabanao kept his wife clueless on what he’s doing in the office.
“Dili siya maghisgot sa balay about work kay everything is confidential,” his wife Katrina told reporters during the wake of the slain PDEA staffer at St. Peter’s Funeral Homes in Imus St., Cebu City.
Katrina, who was a reporter at the defunct Sugbu TV, said Jessie was to join her at the Cebu I.T. Park when he was waylaid by a lone assailant on Friday night.
Katrina was with her friends who were celebrating the victory of newspaper reporter Jessa Chrisna Marie Agua, who was earlier adjudged Miss Press Freedom.
“Nahuman na lang ang pageant. Ning-text ko niya nga mangadto mig Handuraw. Ingon siya ‘Ok Tamba.’ Sige ra siyag ingon ana,” she added.
When Jessie did not show up at the I.T. Park, Katrina decided to take a cab and look for him at the PDEA office where he had previously gone.
A friend who saw a picture of the crime scene in Escario Street posted on a social networking site was the one who broke the tragic news to her.
“Somebody took a photo of the crime scene then uploaded it on Facebook. Misinggit na siya nga ‘Oh my God! Oh my God’. Then ni-proceed na ko sa crime scene,” Katrina said.
She said Jessie probably had a hunch that he was being targeted that’s why he stepped out of the car to get his bulletproof vest.
“Posible nga nakabantay siya kay wa man siya’y laing kuhaon sa likod, kundi ang bulletproof,” Katrina added.
Jessie was reassigned to the PDEA in the Caraga region last Sept 1. He took a one-week leave to see his family.
“He was affectionate,” she said.
Katrina, is expected to give birth to their second child next month. She and Jessie have been together for almost 10 years.
Jessie worked for Bombo Radyo for eight years before he joined PDEA and served as the regional spokesman. /Joy Cherry Quito, Reporter
