Local News: Aksyon Radyo Reporters Harassed by Father of Silay Shooting Victim

Reporters of Aksyon Radyo Bacolod namely Dave Bucayan and Ricky Arzaga, complained yesterday that they were harassed by the father of shooting victim Charles Balbon Jr. the other day, when both went to report the incident by proceeding to the Silay City police station to get an update on the case from the family and the police.

Bucayan told DYEZ Aksyon Radyo anchors Rex Cantong and Charlie Pabular that they were in the police station and that the father of the victim, former and retired PC soldier, Charles Balbon Sr. was leaving the station when they asked him whether he could be interviewed for DYEZ station which had sent them to cover the incident.

But Balbon, Sr. reportedly angrily brushed him off saying he was probably sent by Supt. Rosauro Francisco and consequently disparaging the Silay City Police. The worse was when he raised his hand in a gesture to strike Bucayan, but he was stopped from hitting the reporter by a son who was with him at the time.

Cantong and Pabular said, they were just simply doing their job as personnel of the radio station as Bucayan was doing his, too, and had no malice in airing the report about the killing of Balbon’s son.

Negros Press Club (NPC) President Arman Toga has since denounced the incident by issuing a statement condemning it.

After pacifying his father, Balbon was led away by his son outside the police station.

Balbon’s action could be understandable since his son had just been killed, but he was really intent on harming Bucayan which was unreasonable and unjustifiable as he was just out to get a report which is considered news. There was nothing personal intended against Balbon, the two said.

On the killing of Balbon’s son Charles Balbon Jr., a businessman who operates a fitness gym and is into lending, police said, and a daughter had just gone out of an eatery, Michael’s Patahan when his cellphone rang.

As he moved to answer the caller, the two gunmen arrived on board a motorcycle riding tandem. They then shot Balbon Jr. not with a .45 caliber pistol or another pistol of unknown caliber but a .40 caliber gun, judging from the bullets found on the scene, Supt. Rosauro Francisco said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo, said.

Francisco added that they are analyzing motives for the killing but initially, he said it could be personal.

He said there were indeed, witnesses to the shooting of Balbon but they were possibly afraid of coming out and testifying.

They are conducting further investigation of what was probably a murder case.*