Special task group activated for slain Albay broadcaster Adrian ‘Golden Boy’ Loterte

DARAGA, Albay — Police authorities in Bicol have launched a high-priority investigation and activated a special task group following the fatal shooting of media personality Adrian “Golden Boy” Loterte outside his business establishment in Barangay San Roque, Daraga, Albay, on Monday afternoon, October 12.

Loterte, a resident of the barangay, was an anchor for the online news platform RBN News Television’s Rabas Cun Rabas, a blocktimer on DWIZ FM, and an active broadcaster on social media.

According to official incident reports from the Daraga Municipal Police Station and Police Regional Office 5 (PRO 5), the shooting occurred at around 4:10 p.m. at GBoy Bakery in Purok 4, Barangay San Roque.

Investigators revealed that Loterte was attending to his bakery at his rented premises when two unidentified individuals approached him. One of the assailants allegedly fired multiple shots at Loterte using an undetermined caliber of firearm, inflicting serious gunshot wounds.

Following the attack, the perpetrators immediately fled toward Barangay Kimantong on a white-and-black Honda Click motorcycle. Responding police officers and bystanders rushed Loterte to Daraga Doctors Hospital for emergency medical treatment, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

PRO 5 immediately activated Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Golden Boy to streamline investigative efforts and lead hot pursuit and dragnet operations against the fleeing suspects.

“PRO 5 strongly condemns this act of violence and treats the incident with the utmost seriousness and urgency… We recognize the public’s legitimate demand for answers and accountability, and we are committed to addressing these concerns through a diligent investigation, coordinated police operations, and the full application of the law. We will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of the truth and will do everything within our lawful authority to ensure that justice is served,” PRO 5 said in a statement.

Investigators are conducting CCTV backtracking and footage analysis in coordination with the Albay Police Provincial Office Command Center to trace the suspects’ movements before and after the shooting. 

Nearby police stations have been alerted and checkpoints established across exit routes, while Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) personnel processed the crime scene for physical evidence.

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) strongly condemned the attack, calling for a swift resolution to the case.

“PTFOMS is urging law enforcement agencies to conduct a swift, thorough, and impartial investigation to establish the circumstances and motive behind the attack and hold those responsible accountable… Violence against members of the media is unacceptable,” PTFOMS said in a statement.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Albay chapter and its Media Safety Office are actively gathering information on the incident.

Authorities urge anyone with credible information or leads regarding the identities or location of the suspects to immediately report to the nearest police station or contact law enforcement units.