The International Federation of

Journalists urges immediate police investigation into the motive behind the

fatal shooting of radio broadcaster Jonathan Fetalvero in Agusan del Sur province

in the Philippines’ troubled

island of Mindanao.

According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), an

IFJ affiliate, Fetalvero, 43, was

shot in the head by a gunman at a restaurant at around 7:30pm in the town of

Bayugan in Agusan del Sur. Witnesses told police the gunman, who was reportedly wearing a ski-mask, fled on a motorbike.

News reports stated that the

murder occurred on June 27. However,

police reports claim it happened on June 25,

the NUJP said.

At the time of his murder,

Fetalvero hosted a morning radio program “Balita at Komentaryo” at the local

dxFM Frenster Radio station. He was known for his hard-hitting commentaries

about corruption within the community,

news reports said.

Fetalvero is also reportedly a barangay (village) councillor

and has connections to Vice Mayor Genesis Efren,

who owns Frenster Radio.

No suspect has been arrested and the motive for the attack

remains unclear.

“While a direct connection between Fetalvero’s murder and

his work as a journalist has not yet been verified,

there is no doubt that this type of attack is consistent with the horrific

pattern of antagonism against radio broadcasters in the Philippines,” IFJ Asia-Pacific

Director Jacqueline Park said.

“Inaction by Gloria Arroyo-Macapagal’s government  on this and all murders of journalists in the

Philippines sends a message to the perpetrators that dissatisfaction about news

coverage and commentary can be solved by a bullet without retribution.”

The IFJ and the NUJP

call on the Philippines

police to launch a thorough investigation into Fetalvero’s murder and ensure

that the killer is brought to justice immediately.

For further

information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific

on +612 9333 0919

The IFJ

represents over 600,000 journalists

in 120 countries worldwide