Nabua Radioman Succumbs to Bullet Wounds from Slay Try

NABUA, CAMARINES SUR (31 July) - CRITICALLY WOUNDED radioman, Miguel Abala Belen, 49, a volunteer field  reporter of DWEB-FM "Radyo Rinconada " finally succumbed to fatal bullet wounds and died at 3:00 A.M Sat. ( July  31 ) at the Intensive Care unit of the Doña Josefa Hospital in Iriga City.

DWEB-FM radio manager Rick Arnido made the announcement over radio on Saturday morning broadcast in the Rinconada district (5^th district of C. Sur), after the radioman  was shot by two suspects riding in tandem in a motorcycle at barangay San Jose Pagaraon, Nabua, C. Sur on the evening of July 9.

The shooting incident wherein Belen sustained seven gunshot-wounds from a Cal. 45 pistol drew concern from media organizations nationwide, as among several violent cases perpetrated against journalists and activists in the first few days of the Aquino administration.

Earlier, DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo had directed the PNP Bicol regional office under Chief Supt. Cecilio Calleja Jr. to immediately investigate the radioman's shooting.

At the Camarines Sur Provincial Police Office, a task force was created headed by Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Jonathan Ablang, to probe the shooting of Belen.

One of the suspects, a certain Eric Jagurin Vargas of Iriga City, reportedly surrendered to the CIDG, a component of "Task Force Belen".

DWEB-FM broadcaster and Manila Bulletin correspondent Mark  Rodriguez told Vox Bikol over a phone interview that the family of Belen is saddened by the loss, and that despite the arrest of Vargas, some 22-days after the shooting incident, no formal case has been filed in court against the suspect.

Rodriguez said that earlier, Vargas was reported in the custody of CIDG and facing a frustrated Homicide case; but reportedly the suspect is now at-large after the police failed to file appropriate charges against Vargas. (SONNY SALES)