Six journalists have been murdered in the country since the beginning of the year and it is believed that all attacks were related to the victims’ investigative reports.

The latest attacks targeted separately two broadcast journalists working for Radio Natin, Aresio Padrigao and Leonilo Mila, shot to death on 17 November and 2 December respectively. Padrigao often reported on local government corruption, whereas Mila had been threatened before his murder over his broadcast commentaries.

Between April and August, Benefredo Acabal, Robert Sison, Martin Roxas and Dennis Cuesta were murdered apparently in direct retaliation for their journalistic work.

WAN is appalled by this pattern of extreme violence aimed at silencing investigative reporters and intimidating those who dare to unveil the wrongdoings of public officials and other forms of crime.

The Board of WAN urges the Philippines authorities to take all necessary measures to end the violence against journalists and the impunity enjoyed by those who order and carry out their execution, to secure a safer environment for journalists and commit to uphold international standards of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.