BALANGA CITY, Bataan – Two media organizations in Bataan on Monday strongly condemned the heavy strafing with M-16 Armalite rifle the house of an Abante reporter Sunday night and asked police for speedy investigation to pinpoint the culprits.
Police recovered 26 empty shells of M-16 Armalite rifle in front of the house of Nerlie Ledesma, Abante reporter, in Tagnai Village in Barangay Tuyo, here.
The galvanized iron roofing of her house sustained multiple bullet holes.
“Mariing kinokondena ng Bataan Press Club ang pagbaril sa tahanan ni Nerlie na isang pagsikil sa karapatan ng mga mamamahayag sa lalawigan.
Hinihiling namin sa pulisya na magsagawa ng masusing imbestigasyon para madakip ang gumawa ng kahindik-hindik na insidente na isang pananakot sa media,” said Raffy Viray, Bataan Press Club president.
Mhike Cigaral, vice-chairman of the National Union of Journalists-Bataan chapter, said: “Ang NUJP-Bataan ay mariing kinokondena ang pamamaril sa tahanan ni Abante reporter Nerlie Ledesma lalo pa’t naroon ang 14-taong gulang nilang anak na babae. Hinihiling namin sa pulisya ang mabilis na aksyon upang mahuli ang may kagagawan nito.”
Supt. Melecio Buslig, Balanga City police chief, said they immediately responded when informed of the incident. He said that they conducted operations where the culprits reportedly fled.
PO2 Leonel Gatchalian, Balanga police investigator, said that two still unidentified men in camouflaged uniform and with face masks riddled with bullets the house of Ledesma at about 9:20 in the evening.
Ledesma said she was out and only her husband Jun and their 14-year old daughter were in the house when the incident happened. She said that she was not discounting the possibility that the shooting was work-related.
“Hindi ko masasabing threat ang tinatanggap kong mga text pero grabe at hindi kayang masikmura ang mga messages,” she said but did not elaborate.
Ledesma said she was also eyeing the angle that it has something to do with her being president of the 200-strong Tagnai Homeowners’ Association. “Pero ginagawa ko lamang naman kung ano ang makakabuti sa aming mga kasapi,” she said.
Ledesma also said that her husband immediately put off the lights upon hearing the burst of gunfire and ducked in the kitchen with her trembling teenaged daughter.
