The International Federation
of Journalists (IFJ) is outraged and saddened to report that radio broadcaster
Aristeo Padrigao was murdered this morning. He is the sixth journalist to be
killed in the Philippines
this year.
According to the National Union of Journalists
of the Philippines (NUJP), an IFJ affiliate,
Padrigao, a commentator for the
Radyo Natin morning program Sayre ang
Katilingban (Know the Society) in Gingoog City, Misamis Orientalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misamis_Oriental_province province, was shot
dead by unidentified suspects on a motorcycle soon after delivering his child
to school.
While the motive for the killing is unclear,
it is believed Padrigao was killed for his work as a journalist.
“The horrific pattern of antagonism and violence against journalists in
the Philippines
is a disgrace and must end,” IFJ Asia-Pacific said.
“It is a gross failure on the part of the Government and police force
that journalists continue to lose their lives in the struggle to protect and
uphold press freedom and freedom of expression for all people in the Philippines.”
Standing in solidarity with all journalists in the Philippines in their courageous
work, the IFJ joins the NUJP in demanding immediate action to investigate
and bring the perpetrators of the murder of Padrigao and other journalists to
justice.
For further
information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific
on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ
represents over 600,000 journalists in
120 countries worldwide