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4
July 2005
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
has called the recent shooting of a Filipino radio
journalist Dodong Morales another step backwards
in the fight for press freedom.
Morales,
anchorman of Tingog sa Barangay (Voice of the
Village) program of Radio Mindanao Network, was
inside his car when eight still unidentified motorcycle-riders
shot him at around 5.30pm on Sunday July 3 in
General Santos City.
The
IFJ, the organisation that represents over 500,000
journalists in more than 110 countries, said the
murder only added to the culture of violence towards
journalists that has formed in the Philippines.
"Morales
is the sixth journalist to be killed in the Philippines
this year, and the 69th since 1986 when democracy
was restored in the country," IFJ President
Christopher Warren said.
"The
pattern of violence emerging in the Philippines
is not acceptable. The pursuit of truth should
not come with a death sentence."
"The
government needs to take a stand for press freedom
and they need to do it now before another life
is lost," Warren said.
Morales,
who had finished broadcasting his radio show minutes
earlier, suffered 15 gunshot wounds and died before
he was brought to hospital. Just a week before
the ambush Morales had reportedly accused several
barangay (village) officials of involvement in
summary executions.
This
latest murder follows increasing attacks and threats
against Filipino journalists, including the murder
of Philip Agustin, the publisher and editor of
the Starline Times Recorder, in the Northern Philippines
in May.
The
IFJ strongly have condemned the murder as an unacceptable
attack on freedom of expression and called on
authorities to immediately investigate the incident.
They
urged all Filipino journalists to fight attempts
to silence the media.
"Filipino
journalists are still a great risk, despite government
claims of upholding press freedom. They have to
take a stand and stop the killing," Warren
said.
The
Philippines has been declared second only to Iraq,
a war-torn nation, as the most deadly place for
journalists to work, coming second on the IFJ's
2004 journalists and media workers killed list.
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