Broadcaster shot dead in Surigao del Sur city
SAN FRANCISCO, AGUSAN DEL SUR—Barely 20 minutes after he finished his morning radio program on Monday, Radyo Gugma station manager and program host Erwin Segovia, more popularly known among his listeners as “Boy Pana,” was shot while driving his motorcycle along the national highway in Barangay Mangagoy, Bislig City in Surigao del Sur.
Segovia, 63, was hit in the head and was pronounced dead by physicians who examined him at the hospital where he was brought.
Segovia was the radio host for “Diretsahan ni Boy Pana Segovia,” a morning public affairs program aired over 95.8 dxCB FM from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on weekdays.
He also hosted the program that boosted the candidacy of former Cantilan town Mayor Carla Lopez-Pichay for Surigao del Sur’s second congressional district. Lopez-Pichay, however, lost the race to former Gov. Alexander Pimentel.
Lopez-Pichay’s challenge
Upon hearing of Segovia’s death, Lopez-Pichay immediately offered a P1-million reward to those who could give information that would lead to the arrest of the killers.
Lopez-Pichay also challenged incumbent provincial officials that included Pimentel in the second district, Rep. Romeo Momo in the first district and Gov. Johnny Pimentel to prove their commitment to justice and ensure the swift capture of Segovia’s killer.
“Your action or inaction will be your performance and legacy as the incumbent officials of the province,” Lopez-Pichay said in her Facebook post.
Segovia, known for his hard-hitting commentaries, was just talking about the patronal fiesta of Mangagoy and did not mention politics during his Monday morning’s program before he was killed.
Segovia was the third journalist in the country killed this year. In April, veteran columnist and former Kalibo, Aklan Mayor Juan “Johnny” Dayang was shot dead inside his home. In June, former radio broadcaster and activist Ali Macalintal, a transwoman, was killed in General Santos City.
If the deaths of Macalintal and Segovia are both proven to be work-related, Segovia would be the eighth under the administration of President Marcos.
For Surigao del Sur, Segovia was the 7th broadcaster attacked in the province since 2009 and the 6th of those killed under the Marcos administration.
A check on the video of his program before he was killed showed Segovia was discussing complaints from tricycle drivers about the moves of the city government to make a fiesta route plan in the thoroughfares of the city.
Probe begins
According to police reports, Segovia was attacked at 8:50 a.m. by two individuals on board a motorcycle that had been tailing him by motorbike since he left the station after his program.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) on Monday launched a probe into Segovia’s killing.
“We are already activating the special investigation task group on new cases to look into this tragic incident,” said PTFOMS executive director Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr. in a statement.
He added: “The safety of journalists remains a priority for the government, and justice for victims of media-related violence continues to be a national concern.”
He said his office was working closely with the Philippine National Police Media Security Vanguards and the Media-Citizen Council in Caraga Region to speed up the investigation.
Torres urged the public and media community to remain vigilant and share any information that could aid in the investigation.
The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for stronger protection for journalists in the country.
Of the seven broadcasters from Surigao del Sur who were attacked, only one survived, Julito Orillaneda, 35, owner of dxJB FM, who was shot last July.
Those killed aside from Segovia were Godofredo Linao Jr. in Barobo town on July 27, 2009; Datu Roy Quijada Gallego, in Lianga town on Oct. 14, 2011; Michael Milo in Tandag City on Dec. 8, 2013; Apolonio Suan, a provincial board member who hosted a radio program over Real FM in Bislig, on July 14, 2016; and Joe Climaco, host of a local TV program that was linked to radio stations, on Aug. 25, 2016.
