Gunman silences Boholano radio blocktimer

A 71-year-old radio blocktimer was killed in Tagbilaran City, Bohol late yesterday morning after a lone assailant shot him in the head as he arrived at the radio station to anchor his weekly commentary program.

Maurito Lim died over two hours after he was taken to Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, about 200 meters away from radio station dyRD, for treatment, according to Chief Insp. George Vale, chief of police of Tagbilaran City

Vale said Lim was hit in the left temple with the bullet exiting from the right side of the head. A spent .45 cal. shell was recovered from the crime scene.

Lim, a businessman and reportedly a former official of the National Power Corp., is known in the airwaves as Chairman Mao.

Police said Lim had just parked his maroon Isuzu Crosswind in front of the radio station on B. Inting St. when a motorcycle that was tailing him pulled over. The lone rider got off the motorcycle, went to the driver’s side and fired at Lim who was still inside his vehicle.

The assailant was wearing a helmet.

Threats

A Bohol chapter officer of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines told Cebu Daily News he was not aware if Lim had received threats before yesterday’s incident.

“Wala ko kahibaw, Sir Ares. Mao na akong gusto mahibaw-an. I asked some colleagues here wala man naka-mention si Engineer Lim nga naa siya’y threats (I really don’t know. That’s also what I wanted to know. I asked some of our colleagues here and they said Engineer Lim did not mention any threats to his life),” the NUJP officer said. The NUJP officer, however, said Lim had recently focused his discussions on Bohol’s drug problem and once caused a stir after a former provincial official whom he interviewed live openly named officials who were allegedly involved in the drug trade.

(CDN is withholding the NUJP officer’s name and the names of the government officials he mentioned for security reasons.)