Malacanang orders probe on shooting of P’sinan journalist

P50-K reward up for info on gunmen 

By Eva Visperas

VILLASIS, Pangasinan –  Malacanang has ordered a task force to probe the shooting of a reporter for a local newspaper and radio broadcaster who was wounded in a gun attack on his way to work in Dagupan City Tuesday.

Virgilio Maganes, 58, was riding a tricycle from his home in Poblacion Zone 5 in this town when motorcycle-riding men fired at him.

            A P50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of those behind the gun attack on Maganes. 

Right after the ambush, Maganes was taken to a hospital in Villasis then transferred to Dr. Chan Hospital in Rosales town.

He has been receiving death threats because of his job, Maganes told this writer. He said he reported the incidents to the police and requested an escort.

Unidentified men have been asking his neighbors about him, he added.

Maganes suspects someone who could have been hurt by his criticisms in his radio program at dwPR and his column on Northern Watch was behind the gun attack.

“I have no personal enemies,” he said.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said he ordered the task force created by President Duterte to probe unsolved media killings to look into Maganes’ case.

Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, condemned the attack, and asked the police to conduct a thorough investigation.

“Let us stop the violence against journalists. The attacks against them and their safety are curtailment of freedom of expression,” Poe said. 

This, as Rosendo So, chairman of the Samahan ng Industriyang Agrikultura, offered the  P50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of those behind the gun attack on Maganes. 

He was expected to be discharged from the hospital at press time.

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas-Pangasinan chapter appealed to the Philippine National Police to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of the case. 

Maganes said police formed a task force to look into his case.