Surigao radioman survives attack

BUTUAN CITY — A Surigao City-based radioman and spokesman of former Surigao del Norte governor Francisco Matugas survived an attack by two gunmen here Sunday night.

Matugas told The STAR that radioman Manny Kong was shot in the right cheek but managed to shoot it out with the gunmen along Espina street here at about 10 p.m.

Kong has reportedly been receiving death threats because of his commentaries in his program May Bagong Pagasa on local radio station dxSN.

Before he was airlifted to Cebu City for treatment yesterday afternoon, Kong recalled that he saw the two men sleeping in his "multi-cab" parked near the offices of the Surigao del Norte Electric Cooperative.

Kong said he told the two men that he was already going home after visiting a friend in the area, but the latter insisted that they were going to sleep in the back of the multi-cab.

Kong managed to board his vehicle but one of the two men pulled out a gun and shot him. He managed to duck for cover but they continued firing.

Kong fought back using his caliber .45 pistol, forcing the two men to flee.

Kong and Matugas believe that the attack was politically motivated or a result of an old grudge because of the radioman’s hard-hitting commentaries.

The two were earlier implicated by Jesus Dumo, former member of the civil security unit of the Surigao del Norte provincial government, as the ones who ordered freelance photographer Max Asis to take pictures of the so-called "mansion in the sky" allegedly owned by Sen. Robert Barbers in Barangay Lipata, Surigao City last July 10.

Asis was arrested while taking the pictures. Dumo, who was with him, escaped aboard a motorcycle.

Dumo, however, later recanted his statement, saying he was only forced to implicate Matugas allegedly because of pressures from higher-ups.

After executing his new affidavit, Dumo could no longer be found.