P50,000 reward offered in media slay try case

Two weeks after the failed slay attempt on tabloid reporter Roger Panizal in Valenzuela City, Northern Police District (NPD) director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil offered yesterday a P50,000 reward for any information leading to the gunman’s arrest.

Bataoil said the money came from several non-government organizations (NGOs) in Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area that have supported both his command and media men covering the northern part of Metro Manila.

The NPD is now hot on the trail of the alleged gunman, Jorge Tabora de Jesus, alias "Boy Demonyo," 40, a resident of M. Santos street in Barangay Santolan, Malabon City.

Panizal, 52, a resident of Barangay Panghulo, Malabon City, moonlighting as a tricycle driver to augment his income, was ambushed at around 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 14 in Barangay Malinta, Valenzuela City.

The victim survived the attack, but sustained gunshot wounds in the right shoulder and in the hand when he tried to grab his attacker’s handgun.

Panizal said that De Jesus had an axe to grind against him following a row over parking a few weeks before the attempted slay.

Batoil had given his men 72 hours to arrest the suspect, but De Jesus remains at large.

For the past four months, at least three media killings occurred in Camanava, namely: the shooting of Saksi photojournalist Albert Orsolino on May 16; on RPN-9 cameraman Ralph Runes on July 28; and Tanod photojournalist Prudencio Melendres on July 30.

The NPD solved all the killings a few days after they were committed with the arrest of the primary suspects. The police established that the media killings were not work related.