Mindanaotoday.com | Radio block time anchor in Cagayan de Oro shot dead
By: Franck Dick A. Rosete
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A radio block time anchor here was shot dead a few footsteps away from his residence at Zone 9, Phase 1, Sitio Macanhan, Barangay Carmen this city on Wednesday, June 29.
The Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) identified the victim as Federico Gempesaw, 62, a radio block time anchor from 106.3 Radyo Natin FM Cagayan de Oro who was shot dead by the unidentified riding-in-tandem suspects.
In a statement from COCPO, After the residents in the area heard a gunshot twice, the victim was found lying at the canal area. The victim’s son, identified as Fedirco Gempesaw, dragged his father out from the canal area.
After conducting the initial investigation, Major Mario Mantala Jr., the Carmen police station chief, told reporters that based on the statement from some witnesses, there was a commotion between the involved individuals due to undetermined cause before the suspects shot the victim.
Further initial investigation revealed the suspects used caliber 45 pistol as the authorities recovered two fired cartridges of the said firearm from the crime scene.
The victim sustained gunshot wounds in the right eyebrow and at the back portion of his head which might be the reason for his death.
The police investigation has been ongoing to fully determine the motive of the incident and for the identification of the suspects.
Mantala added the gunman, based on the statement from some witnesses, was wearing a brown striped shirt with brown shorts and wearing a helmet, while the driver was in a black jacket and wearing a cap.
The Carmen police chief said the suspects went straight to the lower portion of Barangay Carmen, specifically in Bario Tae, which caused the cops to immediately conduct a hot pursuit operation.
Meanwhile, the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), in a statement, strongly condemned the shooting of Gempesaw and asked the COCPO to provide thorough investigation to determine the motive and suspects.
Aside from the city police, the COPC also called the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to be the partner of COCPO in investigating the shooting incident and expressed hope that the case would also reach the Presidential Task Force on Media Killings.
“It is believed that this incident will continue if the crime is not solved and another life of the media member will be lost,” the statement read, signed by COPC President Frank Mendez.
In his response, COCPO director Col. Aaron Mandia, on the other hand, in a text message, assured COPC of an intensive investigation to solve the case.
“Yes. After the [shooting] incident, we have already conducted [the investigation] and we will check all the available CCTVs [close-circuit television],” Mandia said.
Mandia urged the public to immediately report to the police if they receive any information pertaining to the whereabouts of the suspects.
“I encourage the responsive public to coordinate with the concerned police authorities any valuable information you may know particularly the identity of suspects which is helpful to the ongoing conduct of follow-up investigation and for possible arrest of suspects,” Mandia said.
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