A government employee tagged in the shooting of a radio station manager near a public market in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, yesterday claimed he just defended himself from the media man and his companion who manhandled and tried to shoot him.

Romeo Corbo Jr., a driver at the Engineering Department of the Sagay City Hall, said that he grabbed the homemade pistol from Regional Global Media Arts Bacolod City OIC station manager Ferdinand "Bambi" Yngson and shot him when the broadcaster pointed the gun at him after a confrontation.

Yngson has denied he was armed, and says he was shot without provocation.

"It happened so fast. I was shocked. I just grabbed the gun and fired at him," Corbo, who is also a Land Transportation Office deputized agent, told reporters at the Bacolod City Police Office Crime Laboratory where he was subjected to a paraffin test at about 2:30 p.m. yesterday.

LTO Regional director Gerard Comiña, said that what Corbo did was "just normal" as "he just defended himself from the attack.

"If you're attacked, won't you retaliate?" Comiña asked.

He added that they are not planning to take legal actions against Corbo as the incident was due to a personal conflict and does not affect the LTO. Corbo, who is from Brgy. Fabrica Sagay, said he was on his way to Sagay City Hall when Yngson and his unidentified companion, who were on a motorcycle, waylaid his vehicle, and confronted him near the city public market at Brgy. Poblacion 2.

"He blocked my motorcycle and told his companion to punch me, saying, "Punch him. He's arrogant. I will kill you," Corbo added. Corbo also said that he did not know Yngson before the incident and that he does not have a grudge with the broadcaster.

He, however, refused to answer questions about any connection between the incident and his work as an LTO officer, saying it was only the shooting that was "important."

Other reports said, however that it was Corbo who waylaid Yngson who was getting off his motorcycle to board a bus bound for Bacolod yesterday.

Negros Occidental Police Office director, Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, on the other hand, said they are eyeing a personal conflict between Corbo and Yngson as having triggered the shooting.

He said initial investigation showed that Yngson and Corbo may have had a problem with a transportation business.

Franco also said, however, that the shooting may also have been caused by his commentaries against certain government agencies and personalities.*PP

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