The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in calling on the Philippine National Police to conduct a timely and thorough investigation into the shooting attack on a reporter in the capital Manila on March 11.
Fernan Angeles, 41, a political reporter for one of the national Philippines’ broadsheets, is in critical condition after being shot and wounded by unidentified men in Manila’s Pasig City municipality, late on the night of Sunday March 11.
Angeles, a reporter for the Daily Tribune, sustained six gunshot wounds reportedly from a .45 calibre gun and a fracture to his right arm after being attacked near his home in Pasig City.
Angeles is currently confined to the intensive care unit of the Pasig General Hospital. The NUJP said that they are still waiting for details, but have been told that Angeles’ wife Gemma said the reporter remained unconscious as of the afternoon of March 12.
“Philippines police must quickly establish whether Angeles’ shooting is related to his work as a journalist,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.
“The IFJ condemns the shooting and is concerned by what appears to be a continuing escalation of violence against journalists in the Philippines in 2012.”
“We call upon President Benigno Aquino III to honour his pre-election commitment to defend press freedom in the Philippines, by seeing that all attacks on media workers are investigated and the perpetrators held accountable for their crimes.”
The Philippines remains one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists. According to the NUJP, a total of 148 journalists have been killed in the country since 1986.
This week’s attack follows the shooting of radio broadcaster Fernando “Kapid” Gabio, in Iloilo City in the Southern Philippines on the morning of March 3.
For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0950
The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
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