Filipino radio journalist fatally shot during live broadcast

A Filipino radio journalist, Juan Jumalon, was brutally shot dead early Sunday during a live broadcast at his home in the southwestern Philippines, according to local authorities, who were searching for possibly multiple attackers.

Mr Jumalon, 57, who hosts a radio show under the name DJ Johnny Walker, was streaming his show live on Facebook when a gunman entered the radio booth just after 5.30am. The western police of Misamis reported this in a statement. The gunman then “without hesitation” shot Mr Jumalon in the face before fleeing.

A special task force is investigating the killing, which took place in the town of Calamba, Misamis Occidental police said on Monday, releasing a digital sketch of one of three people believed to have been involved in the attack. Police described him as a man of medium build wearing a red cap, green T-shirt and black trousers.

Mr. Jumalon broadcasts sessions of his show from a radio booth at his home to a radio network and followers of his Facebook page called 94.7 Gold FM Calamba. His last livestream disappeared from his page on Monday, but footage of the attack circulating online appeared to show Mr Jumalon pausing during the broadcast before two shots rang out.

Authorities did not deny that the shooting was related to the journalist’s work, but were also investigating other motives. Colonel Dwight Monato, a police director investigating the case, said at a news conference on Monday.

CCTV footage shows that two gunmen entered the house, while a third person was a lookout outside. according to the news site Rappler. Authorities said the group fled on a motorcycle.

The gunmen had gained access to Mr Jumalon’s house under the pretext that an urgent announcement had to be made. The Governor of Misamis Occidental, Henry Oaminal, said on Facebook.

“I share the grief of his family and the people of my province because we have lost a crusader for the truth,” said Mr Oaminal, calling him a “fearless presenter”.

Mr. Jumalon was the fourth journalist to be killed in the Philippines since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office. in June 2022 and the 199th since 1986, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, which brutally condemned the “brazen” attack. statement about X. “The attack is even more condemnable because it took place in Jumalon’s home, which also served as a radio station.”

“Attacks on journalists will not be tolerated in our democracy,” President Marcos said in a speech message on X“And those who threaten press freedom will face the full consequences of their actions.” He said he had ordered authorities to conduct “a thorough investigation.”

A government media security group said it would offer a reward for information leading to an arrest.

The Philippines is among the countries with the worst press freedom and has faced years of a crackdown fueled by the government of Rodrigo Duterte, the former president. Mr. Marcos took office last year, but attacks on journalists continueThat’s what news media organizations in the Philippines say.

In a 2023 report, the Committee for Project Journalists stated ranked the Philippines eighth on a list of countries where the murderers of journalists were likely to go unpunished.

“The Philippines remains a dangerous place to work as a reporter,” the group said in the report, “especially for radio journalists.”