Bedolido not a practicing journalist, police say

Police on Monday corrected earlier reports that Nestor Bedolido, owner of a video bar who was shot dead by still unidentified gunmen Saturday evening, was a practicing journalist. Based on the background investigation conducted by the police, Bedolido only wrote some articles for the newsletter of Davao del Sur in 2007, Senior Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, Davao del Sur police director, said in his report on Monday. The said newsletter was the provincial capitol’s internal news organ, he said. Earlier reports indicate he was a writer for weekly local paper Kastigador. “At the time of his death, said victim was not a practicing journalist," Dela Rosa said. Bedolido was attacked while buying something in a nearby establishment along the junction of Rizal and Quezon Avenues in Digos City. [See: Another journalist shot dead, 3rd in RP in a week] Marxlen Bedolido, the victim’s son, told a local radio that his father's killing maybe linked to local politics. The victim backed a losing gubernatorial candidate in last month’s elections, and also used to edit a weekly magazine that supported and was published by a local politician. Last week, two journalists — Desidario Camangyan, a radio anchor of Sunshine FM and Jovelito Agustin of dzJC Aksyon Radyo Laoag — were killed. As of posting time, a total of 102 media workers have been murdered since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo came to power in 2001. - Amita O. Legaspi/RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV