Quoted For The Murder Of Journalists, Philippine President Marcos Jr: Attacks On Journalists Are Not Tolerated

Philippine President Marcos Jr. (Twitter/@bongbongmarcos)

JAKARTA - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. strongly condemns the killing of Filipino journalists, ordering police to conduct an investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Journalist Juan Jumalon, known for his name "DJ Johnny Walker", was shot by an unknown assailant while broadcasting from his home in a southern Philippine city on Sunday morning local time, according to a statement by the Philippine National Journalists Association (NUJP), citing an initial report.

"Attacks on journalists will not be tolerated in our democracy. Those who threaten freedom of the press will face full consequences for their actions," President Marcos Jr. wrote in a post on X, citing Reuters November 5.

NJUP previously condemned the murder, which he said was recorded in a live broadcast conducted by Jumalon. The journalist's house located in Calamba, Mismis Occidental, serves as a media station.

Jumalon's murder increased the number of journalists killed since Marcos took office in June 2022 to four, and to 199 since 1986. This figure includes 32 people killed in one incident in 2009.

It is known, the Philippines is one of the most liberal media environments in Asia. However, it remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists, especially in its provinces.

The country ranks eighth in the worst country in terms of adjudicating the killer of journalists, according to the 2023 Global Impunity Index released by the Journalists Protection Committee issued this week.