| Broadcaster shot in the head, body |
| Written by Eldie S. Aguirre | |
| Monday, 04 August 2008 | |
|
Still unidentified assassins treacherously shot the program director and anchorman of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) in General Santos City, shortly before 5 p.m. on Monday.
Dennis Cuesta, a resident of Digos City is now in critical condition inside the St. Elizabeth Hospital in General Santos City.
Reliable sources said Cuesta sustained a gunshot wound in the head and body from a .45 caliber pistol.
Doctors immediately conducted an intensive surgical operation to remove the slug embedded in his brain and another slug in his intestine.
As of 9 p.m., Monday Cuesta is still inside the operating room of the hospital fighting for his life.
Police recovered 5 empty shells of .45 caliber ammunitions at the crime scene.
Bobby Flores, another media practitioner and the companion of Cuesta when they alighted from the station’s service vehicle few meters away from Gaisano Mall in General Santos City, said in a radio interview they were walking abreast en route to Cuesta’s boarding house when he heard multiple gunshots.
“I was surprised upon seeing Dennis (Cuesta) slumped at the ground. I thought it was just an accidental firing since he also has a gun. I only knew he was shot when witnesses shouted at us that we were shot,” Flores said.
Flores further said Cuesta sought for his help and said he was hit in the head and asked to bring him to the nearest hospital.
“It took few minutes before Dennis was transported to the hospital since the bystanders were hesitant to come near us. Hence, Dennis loss lots of blood,” Flores said.
Flores said he could not ascertain who fired the gun since it came from behind their back, but some witnesses told him the suspects were riding a motorcycle when they were fired upon.
Cuesta was assigned as a field correspondent in Davao del Sur for RMN-Davao City before he was re-assigned and promoted to program director and anchorman of a public affairs program in General Santos City.
He is known to be a hard-hitting broadcaster in the city.
His fellow broadcaster theorized the shooting incident is job related.
The Tri-Media Association of Davao del Sur (Trimads) in a press statement strongly condemned the incident and considered it as another attempt to silence journalists from exercising its duties and responsibilities.
“We could not be intimidated by such cowardly act of trying to eliminate our colleagues in the media profession. We remain firm in pursuing our quest for justice and fairness even if this would cost our lives,” Trimads in Davao del Sur said.
Cuesta’s colleagues are still praying that he would survive from his ordeal.
|