Radio Broadcaster Gunned Down in SGA-BARMM; Wife Unharmed
A local news anchor and commentator was killed in a brazen night-time ambush on May 21, triggering condemnation from media watchdogs and state security tasks forces.
The victim, 56-year-old Nestor "Teting" Micator, was a reporter and disc jockey for D'Empire Radio, an FM station operating out of Poblacion Pikit, Cotabato. Beyond his media work, Micator served his community as a member of the Lupong Pambarangay (village peace council).
The Ambush
According to Capt. Vilma Dimaraw, chief of the Malidegao Municipal Police Station, the incident occurred at around 7:00 PM. Micator and his wife, Ruvy, had just traveled from the Poblacion area where they bought food for dinner.
The couple was about 50 meters away from their house and preparing to board their motorcycle outside the Barangay Fort Pikit hall when two men on a motorbike intercepted them.
A lone gunman fired a close-range shot into Micator’s head, killing him instantly. His wife survived the traumatic encounter completely unharmed. Responding police units recovered a single spent cartridge case from a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.
Escaped Suspects and Ongoing Investigation
The perpetrators managed to flee the scene on their motorcycle before village watchmen (barangay tanods) or local police could intervene.
Malidegao police forces have launched a manhunt to track down the fleeing assailants. Investigators are currently looking into two primary angles regarding the motive behind the execution:
Micator's hard-hitting commentaries and investigative work as a radio broadcaster.
His community-level arbitration role as a barangay council settlement officer.
Outcry from Media Groups
The management of D'Empire Radio quickly released a statement demanding immediate justice and condemning the senseless violence.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) also issued strong condemnations. According to the NUJP, Micator is recorded as the 11th journalist killed in the country under the current presidential administration, magnifying persistent regional concerns regarding press freedom and media worker safety.
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