A radio reporter was killed in Dumaguete City Tuesday evening.

According to the Negros Oriental provincial police, the victim was Cornelio Pepino or known as “Rex Cornelio”, 48, and reporter from DYMD Energy FM.

An initial police report said around 8:30 pm, Pepino and his wife were onboard a motorcycle just few meters away from their home at Villa Amada, North Road in Barangay Daro when a gunman in a motorcycle shot Pepino in the different parts of his body.

Pepino was brought to the hospital but was pronounced dead-on arrival by the attending physician.

According to Dumaguete Press Club, Inc, Pepino is the fourth broadcaster to be killed in the city. Only one case has been solved while others have been hampered by lack of witnesses.

The group said Pepino just finished his commentary program at 6pm.

“The immediate (word from the ) grapevine was that the broadcaster was killed in line of duty, and could be politically motivated since politics was his favorite topic which might have hit the nerve of some political sectors, or, a reverse psychology could have been deployed,” it said.

It added that the Presidential Task Force on Media Security has been alert even as police is investigating the case.Ella Dionisio/DMS