GENERAL SANTOS CITY, South Cotabato, Philippines — A reporter of radio station dxBB, local branch station of GMA Super Radyo here, died of a lone bullet wound in the face at 11:25 a.m. Monday. Jonathan Abayon, 27, was shot by William Bael, one of the civilian bodyguards of people’s featherweight champ Manny Pacquiao on Sunday dawn.
Gonzalo “Boy” Lopez, also a friend of Pacquiao’s, who was driving the pick-up vehicle where the suspect and victim were on board, claimed the two figured in a verbal tussle prior to the killing.
Lopez, however, refused to reveal what triggered the heated argument between the two.
The suspect, a former enlisted member of the Army’s 37th Infantry Battalion, who retired after serving for about 20 years, is at large.
Supt. Willie Dangane, city police director, gave his men 36 hours to arrest the suspect. The ultimatum is set to expire 11 p.m. Monday.
Doctors had observed Monday morning that the heartbeat of Abayon was slowing down, prompting them to declare he had a slim chance of surviving.
Abayon was operated around 11 a.m. at the General Santos Doctor’s Hospital Sunday. He was later brought to the intensive care unit where he remained unconscious until his death.
A complaint filed by the local police has been amended from frustrated murder to murder, Dangane said.
John Paul Jubelag, a correspondent of the Philippine Star and interim president of the newly-organized Sarangani Bay Press Club, asked the National Bureau of Investigation to take the lead in investigating the Abayon murder case.
Jubelag said it was possible Pacquiao’s bodyguard harbored rancor against Abayon.
Abayon on Saturday evening went with Dangane to Sydney Hotel to attend a party of the Guardians Brotherhood.
There, several Guardian members were reportedly irked at the boisterous attitude of Abayon while he was drinking.
After the party, Abayon rode with Pacquiao to go to the boxer’s residence in Barangay Labangal. Abayon wanted to interview the boxing champ regarding his next fight.
At Pacquiao’s residence, the drinking session continued. At past 3 a.m., Pacquiao allegedly asked permission to sleep.
When Abayon and Lopez were about to leave, Bael asked to hitch a ride in Abayon’s pick-up.
