By the Bohol Chronicle
Veteran broadcaster Richard Bompat filed last Friday attempted homicide charges against the task force member who boxed him without any provocation at the sidewalk of the Captiol building last Monday afternoon.
Charged was Cesar Goloso, a known member of the city monitoring team or city task force organized under Mayor Dan Lim's office. Aside from Goloso, Jido Lopena and Constantino Jongjong Garcia were also included in the charge sheet. The trio, during the campaign period were reported trailing behind radio personalities who are vocal critics of Mayor Lim.
City PNP Chief Julius Cesat Gornez signed the complaint against the three suspects supported by sworn affidavits signed by Bompat himself and two witnesses, Stephen Soliva and Elmer Apale.
In their affidavits, Goloso was positively identified as the person who boxed the broadcaster that led to his emergency medical treatment at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Regional Hospital.
Dr. Bernard Magdoza, attending physician stated that Bompat suffered two lacerated wounds, one measuring two cm at the right lower periorbital area and another 1 cm laceration at the upper nasal area. Doctors have to do five stitches to stop the blood profusely flowing from the wounds when Bompat was rushed to the hospital.
Bompat who also works at Effective Development Communication (EDcom) office of the provincial government narrated that while having conversation with Apale and Soliva in front of the Bohol Environment Management Office , a very familiar face approached him and without any provocation, Goloso slapped him saying "You did not know me?"
Thereafter, the broadcaster said Goloso boxed his stomach causing him to bend due to pain. Bompat said that "not satisfied with what he did , he threw a fistic blow hitting my face, I felt something hard from his fist similar that of a pachicorno." After he was hit by the fistic blow, much blood oozed from the wounds.
He said he fell down at the pavement feeling dizzy while he was assisted by people around him to rise up and was rushed to the hospital.
He learned from witnesses that Gosolo arrived at the scene disembarking from a motorcycle driven by Lopena. After the incident, Goloso immediately left the place and boarded to a waiting motorcycle driven by Garcia.
BOMPAT'S STATEMENT
The incident came few days after Bompat in his radio program "Luyo sa Balita" over dyRD commented on running issues confronting the city government.
He said he did not have any personal conflict with the suspect.
"I will seek justice on this incident, " he declared as he raised the question: "After me, who's next?"
The reason why this happened was a "clear move to silence me as a broadcaster," after he recently commented on issues against the city government while criticizing the city mayor for allowing city government-paid radio programs to lambast other radio personalities.
REACTIONS
The incident involving the 62-year old Bompat generated criticism from the public.
"It was an affront to press freedom," stressed Peter Dejaresco,general manager of Bohol Chronicle Radio Corp who said that "justice should be given to Bompat who, like other journalists, was simply doing his task as purveyor of truth."
Bompat's case came as the fourth incident involving intimidation on local media personalities.
The first was the attempted arson at the residence of broadcaster Roberto "Batchoy" Alba, the throwing of dirty water on the face of broadcaster Nestor Darrol inside the booth of station dyTR and the power disconnection ordered by the city mayor at the residences of Tagbilaran-by-Nite ancchorman Jerry Pabe and technician Gerry Cajes, all connected with dyRD, the radio station which air legitimate issues confronting the city mayor.
The power disconnection case has a pending complaint filed against mayor Lim at the office of the Ombudsman Visayas.
For his part, Tootsie Escobia,EDCom head in a statement issues said he "hopes for justice and speedy resolution of the incident adding that it will also be a victory of the press freedom once justice be given to Bompat."
SURRENDERED?
Mayor Lim in a statement issued in his radio program said the suspect surrendered to the police after the incident, thus, he ignored the appeal of Bompat aired over the airlanes while the latter was at the hospital.
However, verifications made at the city PNP showed that Goloso never appeared nor surrendered at the city PNP as claimed by the mayor.
In fact, a hot pursuit conducted by police operatives right after the incident failed to arrest the suspect.
For his part, Mark Monton, a trusted aide of the mayor said Goloso is not a member of the task force but admitted that the suspect is a regular employee of the city government hired during the time of former Mayor Joe Torralba.
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