IFJ Condemns Culture of Impunity in the Philippines After Shooting of Journalist

The International Federation of Journalists today condemned the shooting of a journalist General Santo City, in the southern Philippines.

On October 2, Mindanao Bulletin correspondent, Danilo Aguirre, was shot outside his office and was taken to General Santos Doctors Hospital with a single gunshot wound to the stomach.

“Too many journalists’ lives have been lost or destroyed by rampant violence in the Philippines, too many journalists have become the victims of an unacceptable culture of impunity,” said IFJ President Christopher Warren. “The unabated threats to journalists safety are a looming shadow over press freedom and the voice of democracy in the Philippines,” said the IFJ President.

The motive for the attack is unclear as Aguirre’s reporting focused mainly on development issues rather than illegal activities such as corruption.
According to IFJ sources, Aguirre is the second journalists attacked in General Santos City this year, after radio journalist Klein Cantoneros was shot dead in May.

The IFJ calls on authorities to immediately investigate the incident and arrest those responsible for the shooting. “The government and authorities must take action to protect all journalists from violence if a truly independent and free press is to flourish in the Philippines,” said Warren.

The tide of violent and murderous attacks against journalists has given the Philippines the onerous title of being the second most dangerous place in the world for journalists and media workers, after war-torn Iraq.

A Dangerous Profession is an IFJ report investigating violence against journalists in the Philippines, go to http://www.ifj-asia.org/files/a_dangerous_profession.pdf

For further information contact IFJ President Christopher Warren on +61 411 757 668
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries