Villar denounces shooting of broadcaster in Gen San

Senate President Manny Villar today denounced the attack made on a broadcaster in General Santos City as he called on police authorities to immediately act and arrest the perpetrators.

"An attack against any member of the press is an affront on the Constitutional right to free speech. A crime against individuals who expose the truth barring none reflects the deplorable condition of journalists in the country today," Villar said.

According to reports, Dennis Cuesta, anchor of dxMD Radyo Agong's Straight to the Point morning program was ambushed at around 4:30 pm yesterday. He is now in critical condition at the St. Elizabeth Hospital.

"Police authorities should see this as an opportunity to show their determination in preserving law and order especially in the provinces," he added.

The Nacionalista Party president expressed hope that the attack on Cuesta will not go down as another unsolved case in the statistics of crimes against journalists.

Villar said special attention should be given to attacks against crime-fighting newsmen as these have serious repercussion on the democratic rights of citizens.

Bong Gonzales, a colleague of Cuesta, said they had just arrived from Sarangani Province when Cuesta asked to be dropped in front of the radio station dxCP along the national highway in General Santos City.

Gonzales said the victim was on his way to Gaisano Mall when two men on a motorcycle offered him a ride. About a hundred meters from the mall, one of the men pushed Cuesta from the motorcycle and shot him five times.