MEDIA organizations in Bacolod City denounced the strafing incident at the residence of broadcaster Reynaldo Siason in Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Wednesday night.
The Negros Press Club and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Bacolod on Thursday issued separate statements condemning the attack.
“While no one was hurt, we believe the act is despicable and an affront to members of the Fourth Estate. It is also an assault against press freedom,” said NPC president Renato Duran.
NUJP-Bacolod chairman Marchel Espina said an attack on journalists was a threat to democracy.
Siason, a veteran radio broadcaster and a former president of NPC, is an anchorman of 107.7 FM Muews Radio Negros based in Talisay, the next city from Bacolod to the north.
He was not home when the shooting happened around 10:45 p.m. and was informed by his 16-year-old daughter about the incident through a phone call.
Those at home with his daughter were his mother-in-law and four other family members, who believed they heard at least three gunshots.
Siason showed in his Facebook Live post, the bullet shell of a .45 caliber pistol found outside his house.
The police report said seven bullet fragments were recovered.
Witnesses said unidentified men on board two motorcycles fired at the Siason residence at Carmela Valley Homes Subdivision in Barangay Zone 12-A.
Siason said on Tuesday night, two men on board a motorcycle also tailed the vehicle of Muews Radio production manager Bambi Yngson when the latter dropped him off his house.
Yngson’s car was almost hit by the motorbike of the two men wearing helmets, he added.
“This is not right, I’m just doing my job,” said Siason, who said the incident traumatized his family.
Both the NPC and the NUJP-Bacolod called for an in-depth investigation of the case.
“We are calling on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to the bar of justice,” Duran said.
“We call on the authorities to swiftly investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice,” Espina added.
In response, Senior Supt. Rodolfo Castil, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said on Thursday he directed the Talisay City Police Station, headed by Supt. Boots Aseo, to look into all the angles in investigating the case.