EU, Japan, UK, German envoys condemn killing of broadcaster

MANILA, Philippines — The ambassadors of the European Union, Japan, United Kingdom and Germany condemned the killing of radio broadcaster Juan Jumalon as he was hosting a news commentary program over 94.7 Calamba Gold FM in Misamis Occidental on Sunday morning.

German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke said, “Germany condemns the killing of a journalist and supports President Marcos Jr. call for a thorough investigation.”

“Free and independent journalism is the basis of a vibrant and lively democracy. Impunity must not be tolerated,” Pfaffernoschke said on X.

EU Ambassador Luc Véron said in a post also on X that “attacks on journalists are always unacceptable.”

“Like what Pres.@bongbongmarcos said, ‘Attacks on journalists will not be tolerated’ since it can threaten the essence of democracy,” Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa said in a post on X.

British Ambassador Laure Beaufils said she was shocked by the murder as she called on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice promptly.

“A free media is the cornerstone of democracy. Journalists must be able to do their job free of violence,” Beaufils wrote on X.

All four envoys expressed condolences to Jumalon’s family.

Senators also condemned the killing, which they described as an “attack on democracy.”

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said he could not get the attack scene “out of my head” after watching a video of what happened to Jumalon, also known as DJ Johnny Walker.

“These people should be put to justice at the soonest possible time. I would suggest that the President create a task force of all the best government agents from the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) to the PNP (Philippine National Police) even to members of the military to come up with a task force to end journalist killings and to be able to help solve these crimes that have already transpired,” Zubiri said.

Jumalon, 57, is the second journalist killed this year and the fourth under the Marcos administration.

Sen. Grace Poe said “the killing of Jumalon is utterly barbaric and has no place in a civilized society.”

“We support a thorough and swift investigation to bring the perpetrators before the law. As an equally important move, the PNP and other concerned authorities must tighten the noose on holders of illegal guns not only in Metro Manila but in the provinces as well,” Poe said.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, challenged the regional and provincial police units to resolve the case at the soonest possible time.

“Regardless of the real motive of the crime, people would immediately assume it to be work-related and the first group of people that we don’t want to be discouraged from doing their job is the media,” Dela Rosa said.

Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. said “we strongly condemn the brutal killing of Jumalon while he was programming at the very station that was carried out right inside his home. Any violence against journalists is violence against our democracy. This in no uncertain terms is an affront to our free press.”

Sen. Robin Padilla said “the incident is proof that more attention should be paid to the country’s internal security.”

Amid the incident, Sen. Mark Villar filed Senate Bill 2335, or the Journalist Protection Act, “because I recognize the hazard that comes with the journalism profession. Yet, it still comes as disheartening to know the killing of Mr. Juan Jumalon while practicing his profession.”

Villar is pushing for increased protection of Filipino journalists, including additional insurance coverage such as disability and death benefits, and reimbursement of medical costs for journalists and employees of media entities.

At the House of Representatives, Speaker Martin Romualdez condemned the killing, saying “any attack or violence against members of the media is unacceptable and deeply troubling.”

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic demise of radio host Juan Jumalon… Our thoughts and prayers are with DJ Johnny Walker’s family, friends and colleagues during this challenging time,” he said.

Romualdez stressed that “freedom of the press is a cornerstone of our democracy,” where “every journalist deserves the right to exercise their profession without fearing for their safety or their lives.”

“To Filipino journalists: Your voices matter. Your stories matter. We stand with you and will continue to advocate for your safety and the right to perform your duties without intimidation or harm. Together, we will strive to put an end to these senseless acts of violence and uphold the sanctity of free expression in the Philippines,” the Leyte congressman said.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, in a statement issued on Nov. 2 to mark International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, said journalists must be better protected from attacks, as he stressed that journalism is crucial to human rights.

“Online and real life media serve as watchdogs and early warning systems for the full range of potential human rights violations. And that is precisely why journalists are so frequently the targets of threats, violence and even murder. Because their work is so crucial to upholding the human rights of us all,” Turk said.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 86 percent of crimes against journalists happen with impunity. Last year, 363 journalists worldwide were imprisoned – a 20-percent increase from 2021. — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Delon Porcalla