(CMFR/IFEX) – Two radio journalists were injured when two unidentified men fired their guns at them on 1 December 2006 in Estancia, Iloilo province, a province located about 400 kilometres south of the capital, Manila. Arnie Pullan and Butch Aclaro, broadcasters at the MBC-Radyo Natin, were on their way home after their programme when two […]
(CMFR/IFEX) – Two radio journalists were injured when two unidentified men fired their guns at them on 1 December 2006 in Estancia, Iloilo province, a province located about 400 kilometres south of the capital, Manila.
Arnie Pullan and Butch Aclaro, broadcasters at the MBC-Radyo Natin, were on their way home after their programme when two men riding a motorcycle shot at them. Contrary to earlier reports, Pullan and Aclaro, who were also on a motorcycle, suffered no critical wounds.
According to Senior Inspector Alex Velez of the Philippine National Police, Pullan managed to duck in time. The bullet merely grazed Pullan in the left eyebrow while Aclaro suffered powder burns on his neck.
Velez said the motive behind the attack is still unknown.
The two broadcasters received first aid from a nearby hospital and were immediately released afterwards.
Aclaro and Pullan, who are also employees of the local municipal government, host “The Mayor’s Hour,” a radio block-time program of Estancia Mayor Rene Cordero. The show, which started airing in October 2006 ceased airing on 2 December, a day after the shooting incident.
It was not the first time that Pullan became the target of an attack. In 7 June 2005, two men shot at him using a homemade shotgun. Charges of frustrated murder were filed against the suspects and the case is still pending in court. Velez said that attack stemmed from Pullan’s work as market inspector.
Eddie Lacsi, chair of the Kapisan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) in Iloilo, said the MBC-Radyo Natin is not accredited with the KBP. The KBP, which is a self-regulatory body for the broadcast industry, enforces standards in programming, advertising and trade practice through its Radio and Television Codes.
