BY LIEZLE BASA IÑIGO
PANGASINAN – Multi-media practitioner Virgilio Maganes played dead to trick his assailants and stay alive the first time he was ambushed four years ago.
This time, luck was not on his side as motorcycle-riding gunmen made sure he would not survive as they shot him twice in the head and four times in the body Tuesday morning at Sitio Licsab, Barangay San Blas in Villasis.
He was killed three days after he celebrated his 62nd birthday.
Apart from being a staff writer of local publication Northern Watch, Maganes was a freelance radio commentator where he made a name – being a hard-hitting anchor during local elections.
Initial investigation revealed that Maganes was about to enter their compound at around 6:45 a.m. after buying cigarettes when two armed men on board a motorcycle shot him six times.
Witnesses said the suspects fled towards the south direction of the crime scene.
“Talagang target siyang patayin sa dami ng ipinutok na bala sa katawan nito,” said a police officer.
Investigation is still ongoing to determine the motive behind the killing.
At the height of election campaign four years ago, he was shot in the arm by gunmen on board a motorcycle as he rode a tricycle going to dwPR (radio station ) in Dagupan City where he had been anchoring an 8 a.m. program.
According to National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP), a sign was left near the scene that said: “Drug pusher huwag pamarisan.”
The group said it was a blatant attempt to divert attention from the real motive of the slay try.
According to NUJP, Maganes was the 18th journalist murdered under the present administration and the 190th since the EDSA Revolution.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 1 director Brig. Gen. Rodolfo S Azurin, Jr. immediately formed a task force dubbed “SITG Maganes” in order to identify the killers and the brains behind the crime.
