The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is outraged at the murder of Philippines news correspondent and radio host Bert Sison in Sariaya, Quezon, on June 30.

According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), an IFJ affiliate, Sison was driving home with two of his daughters when two men on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle.

Sison’s daughters are also news correspondents in Quezon. One of them reportedly was shot in the arm during the attack.

Sison was working as a correspondent for Regional Bulletin, a Quezon-based weekly, and was the host of the weekly Harana (Serenade) program on radio dzAT-AM in Lucena City.

He is the third journalist to be murdered in the Philippines in 2008 and the 58th since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration came to power in 2001, the NUJP reports

Lucena City, in Quezon province, remains a danger hot spot for journalists after the May 2003 fatal shooting of Lucena-based radio announcer Apolinario “Polly” Pobeda and the near-fatal shooting attack on Inquirer correspondent Delfin T. Mallari Jr in April 2007.

“Sison’s murder is a tragic reminder that the Philippines continues to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world for practising journalists,” IFJ Asia-Pacific said.

The IFJ joins the NUJP in strongly urging the Philippines Government and National Police to launch an immediate investigation and to bring the perpetrators to justice.  

“The Philippines authorities can assist in ending the climate of impunity against the Philippines media by investigating fully every attack against a journalist and ensuring that those responsible for the violence are brought to justice.”

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

The IFJ represents over 600,000 in 122 countries worldwide