Radio Anchor Fatally Shot While On Facebook Livestream Watched By Followers

A radio anchor was fatally shot by a man inside his southern Philippine station Sunday, Nov. 5, in a brazen attack that was witnessed by people watching the program live on Facebook.

The gunman gained entry into the home-based radio station of provincial news broadcaster Juan “Johnny Walker” Jumalon by pretending to be a listener. He then shot him twice during a live morning broadcast in Calamba town in Misamis Occidental, police said.

The attacker snatched the victim’s gold necklace before fleeing with a companion, who waited outside Jumalon’s house, onboard a motorcycle, police said. An investigation was underway to identify the gunman and establish if the attack was work-related.

The Philippines has long been regarded as one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the world.

President Marcos strongly condemned the shooting and said he ordered the national police to track down, arrest and prosecute the killers.

“Attacks on journalists will not be tolerated in our democracy and those who threaten the freedom of the press will face the full consequences of their actions,” Marcos said in a statement.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, a press freedom watchdog, said Jumalon was the 199th journalist to be killed in the country since 1986, when democracy returned after a “People Power” uprising toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the father of the current president, and forced him and his family into US exile.

“The attack is even more condemnable since it happened at Jumalon’s own home, which also served as the radio station,” the watchdog said.

A video of the attack shows the bespectacled Jumalon, the 57-year-old owner of Gold FM 94.7, pausing and looking upward at something away from the camera before two shots rang out. He slumped back bloodied in his chair as a background music played on. He was pronounced dead on the way to a hospital.

The attacker was not seen on the Facebook livestream but police said they were checking if security cameras installed in the house and at his neighbors recorded anything.

In 2009, members of a powerful political clan and their associates gunned down 58 people, including 32 media workers, in a brazen execution-style attack in southern Maguindanao province. It was the deadliest single attack on journalists in recent history.

While the mass killing was later linked to a violent electoral rivalry common in many rural areas, it also showcased the threats faced by journalists in the Philippines. A surfeit of unlicensed guns and private armies controlled by powerful clans and weak law enforcement in rural regions are among the security concerns journalists face in the poverty-stricken Southeast Asian country.

‘Barbaric’

Jumalon was the fourth journalist to be killed since Marcos took office in June 2022, according to reports.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) expressed its condolences to the family of Jumalon, and assured the government would closely monitor his case.

“Such a barbaric attack on our journalists have no place in a democratic country,” the PCO said in Filipino.

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), meanwhile, called on the PNP to immediately activate a special investigation task group (SITG).

“Even as we extend our sympathy to the victim’s family and friends over this dastardly attack, we also call on the Misamis Occidental Police Office to immediately constitute its SITG to investigate this incident and apprehend the suspect and others possibly involved in the interest of justice,” PTFoMS executive director Paul Gutierrez said in a statement.

Gutierrez also urged the National Bureau of Investigation, which is also part of the PTFoMS, to start gathering evidence in support of the ongoing investigation to hasten its resolution.

He, likewise, appealed to the public not to resort to any speculation or make baseless accusations on the motive for the attack on Jumalon.

The members of Mindanao Independent Press Council Inc. (MPIC) also condemned the “brutal and barbaric killing” of Jumalon, saying “attacks on journalists are not only attacks on the individuals themselves but are a grave assault on the fundamental principles of human rights, press freedom, and democracy itself.”

“Such acts have become notably frequent in this country, and no matter how many journalists are killed in the name of freedom of expression, it remains a fact that this barbarity has no place in a just and civilized society,” the MPIC said.

“We call upon the relevant authorities to take immediate and resolute action in response to this tragedy. It is imperative that a thorough and impartial investigation be conducted to identify and bring the perpetrator(s) to justice. This incident underscores the importance of ensuring the safety and security of journalists in the Philippines and the need for measures that prevent such acts from recurring. We urge the authorities to commit to safeguarding the lives and well-being of journalists, who play a vital role in upholding transparency and accountability in our society,” it added.

Regrettably, the MPIC said the Philippines continues to witness a concerning trend of media killings over the years. It noted that journalists and media workers continue to face significant risks in the course of their work, often being subjected to threats, harassment and violence. Such incidents not only harm individual journalists but also have a chilling effect on the media's ability to fulfill its essential role in a democratic society.

“The overall state of media safety in the Philippines remains a pressing concern. Journalists must be allowed to carry out their work without fear of violence, intimidation, or reprisals. It is crucial for the authorities, civil society, and the international community to work collaboratively in addressing these challenges, ensuring the safety of journalists, and upholding the principles of press freedom and free expression,” the MPIC said.

The MPIC extended its condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Jumalon.

DOJ vows thorough probe

On Sunday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) vowed a thorough investigation and swift apprehension of the individuals behind the killing, condemning the act as an “affront to democracy, freedom of expression, and the sanctity of a free press.”

In a statement, the DOJ said Jumalon’s death is a loss, not only to his family and loved ones, but “also to the journalism community and the nation as a whole.”

“We vow to spare no effort in ensuring a thorough investigation, the swift apprehension of the perpetrators, and their subsequent prosecution to the fullest extent of the law,” it said.