MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemned Thursday the killing of an Oriental Mindoro-based radio broadcaster and called on the government to act on media killings.
In a statement, the CHR said its regional office is already conducting an independent investigation into the shooting of Cresenciano Bunduquin in Calapan City early Wednesday morning.
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The 50-year-old broadcaster was the third journalist to be killed since Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. took office in June 2022.
“The right to truth and information can only be fostered in an environment where media practitioners can do their work without fear of attack or reprisal,” the commission said.
The Philippine National Police is also probing the killing of Bunduquin and assured journalists of their security. The Presidential Task Force on Media Security, for its part, announced a P50,000 reward for information on the killers of Bunduquin, who hosted a show on DWXR Kalahi Radio 101.7.
One of the gunmen died after Bunduquin’s son hit them with his vehicle as they fled the scene. The other assailant is a subject of a hot pursuit operation by the police.
‘Dangerous profession’
Bunduquin’s killing comes less than a year after the slay of broadcaster Rey Blanco in Oriental Mindoro and of popular radio personality Percy Lapid.
“Although the motives behind the attack on Bunduquin are yet unclear and a police investigation is ongoing, this latest killing is a grim reminder that journalism remains a dangerous profession in the Philippines,” the NUJP said in a statement.
The group called on the Marcos administration and the PTFOMS to “[end] the impunity surrounding attacks on journalists and [bring] those who harass, attack and kill media workers to account.”
The Philippines ranked 132nd out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) after climbing 15 notches. The watchdog, however, noted that the country remained to be among the world’s “most dangerous” places for journalists.
There were 60 reported violations against journalists from June 30, 2022 to April 30, 2023, according to the NUJP. Journalists outside the capital were often the target.