PHILIPPINES: JOURNALIST KILLED; SECOND IN A WEEK

PHILIPPINES: JOURNALIST KILLED; SECOND IN A WEEK

Yet another Filipino journalist was killed last week by unidentified
assailants, reports the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).

On 12 June, print journalist Antonio Castillo was shot at close range by
two men after a brief chase on motorbikes in Uson, Masbate province,
central Philippines. He died in hospital three hours later. He was able to
describe the attackers but refused to give their names to investigators,
said CMFR.

Local police said they have yet to establish why Castillo, a columnist for
the local tabloid "Bigwas" (Blow), was killed.

According to CMFR, he is the fifth journalist deliberately murdered because
of his work in the country this year. Three days before Castillo's murder,
radio host Crispin Perez was shot dead in front of his house in San Jose
City on Mindoro island, also in central Philippines.

Perez hosted two talk shows at a state-owned radio station in Occidental
Mindoro province and had strongly criticised local mining and energy
interests.

The Philippines is one of the most dangerous places in the world for
journalists - 65 journalists have been killed under President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo's rule since she was swept into power in 2001, says CMFR.
Of the 65, 40 cases were work-related.

Under fire from local and international human rights groups for its failure
to protect hundreds of journalists and activists killed over the past seven
years, the government has vowed to track down killers of reporters but
there have been few convictions.

More on the web:
- Two media practitioners killed in a week (CMFR):
http://www.cmfr-phil.org/2009/06/17/two-media-practitioners-killed-in-a-week/#more-1949