Bicol broadcaster slain police form task group
By RHAYDZ BARCIA and JORDAN KURT DOMINGO
DARAGA, Albay --- Bicol media personality Adrian Nacion Loterte, popularly known as “Golden Boy,” was shot dead inside his bakery in Barangay San Roque here on October 12, prompting police to create a special investigation task group and media organizations and government officials to demand a thorough investigation.
Loterte, a radio blocktimer at DWIZ who also hosted an online program through RBN News Television’s Facebook page, Rabas Cun Rabas, was attending to his bakery in Purok 4 when one of two unidentified assailants allegedly fired multiple shots at him at around 4:10 p.m.
He was rushed to Daraga Doctors Hospital but was pronounced dead by his attending physician at 5:35 p.m., the Albay Police Provincial Office reported.
Police said the suspects, who were reportedly riding a white-and-black Honda Click motorcycle, fled toward Barangay Kimantong after the shooting.
Police Lt. Col. Maria Luisa “Malu” Calubaquib, Bicol police regional spokesperson, said the Police Regional Office 5 had formed the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Golden Boy, led by Albay police provincial director Noel Nunez, to coordinate the investigation and identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
The task group operates under the supervision of Police Col. Wilson A. Santos VI, deputy regional director for operations, Calubaquib said.
The motive for the killing remains undetermined.
Police are reviewing closed-circuit television footage to establish the suspects’ movements before and after the shooting. Images of the suspects have been circulated among concerned police units to assist in their identification, while nearby police stations have been alerted and directed to establish checkpoints.
Investigators have also sought assistance from the Scene of the Crime Operations team to process the crime scene and preserve physical evidence. Police are gathering witness statements and pursuing other leads.
“The motive behind the incident remains undetermined. PRO 5 assures the public that all possible angles are being thoroughly investigated,” Calubaquib said, adding that authorities would pursue all leads to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting and bring those responsible to justice.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) condemned the attack and called for a swift, thorough and impartial investigation. It also urged individuals with credible information to coordinate with law enforcement authorities.
The Bicol Press Club likewise condemned the killing, stressing that violence against media practitioners has no place in a democratic society. It called on authorities to pursue the investigation and ensure accountability.
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo “Pido” Garbin Jr. urged the Philippine National Police, particularly PRO 5, to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation and determine whether the attack was connected to Loterte’s work as a media personality, without prematurely dismissing other possible motives.
Loterte was known in Albay for his hard-hitting commentaries on political and public affairs, Garbin said.
“Whether one agrees or disagrees with his views, no individual should ever be subjected to violence for exercising the right to free expression. Differences in political opinions must be answered with reason, facts, and lawful remedies—not bullets,” the lawmaker said in a statement issued on October 12.
Garbin, principal author of House Bill No. 1605, which seeks to enhance the protection, security and benefits of media workers, said safeguarding journalists and other media practitioners was essential to protecting democracy.
Legazpi City Mayor Hisham Ismail also condemned the attack, describing it as a senseless act of violence.
“Violence has no place in our civilized society. I strongly condemn this senseless act of violence against Adrian ‘Golden Boy’ Loterte. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time,” Ismail said in a Facebook post.
Daraga police appealed to the public to refrain from circulating unverified information, photographs and videos related to the incident. They also urged anyone with information that could help identify or locate the suspects to contact the nearest police station.
The killing comes nearly a year after radio broadcaster Noel Bellen Samar, also a blocktimer, was shot along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Morera, Guinobatan, Albay, on October 20, 2025. Samar died the following day while undergoing treatment at the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center.
Police said the investigation into Loterte’s killing remains ongoing.
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