| Cuesta expired inside Gensan hospital |
| Written by Eldie S. Aguirre | |
| Sunday, 10 August 2008 | |
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Radio Mindanao Network production manager and anchorman Dennis Cuesta who was shot by still unidentified assassins was officially declared dead at about 3:45 p.m., Saturday.
Slugs of .45 caliber pistol ammunitions landed at the head, body and arm of Cuesta after the shooting incident that took place shortly before 5 p.m. on Monday.
Cuesta, 38, was walking along the national highway in Lagao, General Santos City after he disembarked from the RMN service vehicle few meters from the Gaisano Mall when two motorcycle-riding gunmen fired several shots at him.
He was with his friend Bobby Flores when the shooting incident occurred.
Cuesta was rushed to St. Elizabeth Hospital where he went comatose following an intensive operation to remove the slugs in his skull and body.
General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. offered P50 thousand reward money to anybody who could determine the identity of the suspects and lead to their immediate arrest.
The police also presented cartographic sketches of the two suspects to the media, two days ago.
The Samahan ng Mamamahayag at Brodkaster, Incorporated (SBMI); PRO-12 Press Corps; Tri-Media Association of Davao del Sur (Trimads); Radio and Print Media Association in Davao del Sur (RPMA); and Davao del Sur Print Media Association have been in unison in condemning the shooting incident and called it as an attack to instill fear and silent journalists from spilling the truth.
Cuesta is a resident of Roxas Extension, Digos City. His wife, Gloria is working with a government office in Digos City.
Radio Mindanao Network Manager Alex Josol along with officers and members of different media organizations and friends of Cuesta conducted a protest action and condemnation rally at about 3 p.m. on Friday.
Trimads immediately issued statement of condemnation against all attempts to suppress press freedom in the country through senseless killing of journalists.
“We are challenging the authorities to let “no stones unturned” to bring all the suspects and brains behind the death of journalists in the country to warn people with sinister minds that nobody is above the law,” goes the Trimads statement.
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