Davao del Norte publisher shot dead

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A newspaper publisher and director of an electric cooperative was shot thrice in the chest on Tuesday night while entering his house in Barangay Magugpo North, Tagum City. He succumbed to the wounds yesterday morning.

Gregorio “Loloy” Ybañez, president of the Davao del Norte Press and Radio-TV Club, is the second media practitioner to be killed in Tagum.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is investigating if the killing is related to his profession or to his being a director of the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative, which is reportedly embroiled in a bitter squabble between two factions of board officers.

Malacañang condemned the killing, the country being known as among the most dangerous places in the world for a working journalist.

“We strongly condemn the killing. The PNP is tasked with pursuing the suspects and bringing them to the bar of justice,” said Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

Ybañez was the publisher of the local newspaper Kabuhayan News Services.

He was said to be entering his house in Mirafuentes Subdivision, Magugpo North in Tagum City when the assailant, who was driving a Honda Fit, shot him several times. Aside from his chest wounds, Ybañez was also hit in the right arm.

In December 2013, broadcaster Rogelio “Tata” Butalid of Radyo Natin-Tagum was also shot dead. – With Delon Porcalla