Surigao City broadcaster survives slay attempt

SURIGAO City broadcaster Saturnino “Jan” Estanio of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) survived an attempt on his life Thursday afternoon, June 30.

His son, Anjover Saturnino Estanio, is now in stable condition.

Estanio and his son were shot outside their home at Sitio Bioborjan, Barangay Rizal in Surigao City around 5 p.m. by unidentified gunmen onboard a motorcycle.

Estanio, who anchors a radio program, suffered three gunshot wounds in his back while his son, a Grade 6 pupil, suffered only one gunshot wound, not four as earlier reported, RMN DXRS-Surigao station manager Gay Dolfo Tiu said.

The father and son are now at the Surigao Medical Center.

Jocelyn Ferol, program director of RMN-DXRS, said Estanio was about to transfer some goods he brought home from the trunk of his car when the suspects gunmen them with bullets.

Interviewed over radio an hour after the shooting incident, Ferol said Estanio recounted that prior to the barrage of gunshots, he noticed a motorcycle with two riders trying to speed past him. As they neared, he was able to catch a glance at the riders, then the gunshots rang.

Estanio added that the motorcycle riders continued driving away after unleashing the bullets on him.

Estanio estimated the suspects to be in their early 20s, Ferol said.

Ferol said Estanio drove to the hospital to seek medical treatment.

Prior to the incident, Estanio has been carrying critical commentaries about the operation of illegal gambling, illicit drugs, and allegations of malfeasance in some government agencies.

Ferol said Estanio told his colleagues he was also entertaining the possibility the attack could be caused by a personal grudge.

A neighbor of the Estanios was reportedly brought to a hospital after he was hit during the shooting.

The incident is the first attack on media practitioners under the Duterte administration. The shooting happened just few hours after Rodrigo Duterte took his oath as the country's 16th president. (VLA/Sunnex/Ryan Rosauro)