Philippines: First journalist killed under President Duterte

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 December 2016

Larry Que, a Philippine journalist, was murdered on December 19, becoming the first journalist killed under President Duterte. His death highlights the dangers faced by reporters in the country.

Summary

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) have deplored the brutal murder of Philippine journalist and columnist Larry Que on Monday December 19.

IFJ and NUJP demanded the Presidential Task Force on Violations of the Right to Life, Liberty and Security of the Members of the Media, to immediately investigate the murder.

On Monday, Larry Que, the new publisher of Catadunanes News Now was shot in the head as he was entering his offices, in Virac, Catadunanes, in central Philippines. He died from his injuries early on Tuesday morning in hospital. Que’s murder came after he published his column, which criticized local officials and their alleged negligence in allowing the setting up on the island-province of a recently raided shabu laboratory that authorities claimed was the “biggest” so far discovered in the country.

According to the NUJP, a second journalist, broadcaster Jinky Tabor, who was a witness to the raids that discovered the lab has also received death threats.

In a statement NUJP secretary general Dabet Panelo said: “We call on this administration to walk the talk and prove its professed respect for press freedom, not only by quickly solving these brazen assaults on press freedom but, just as importantly, by ending its penchant of falsely blaming media for deliberately misinterpreting its often inconsistent and incoherent messages and instead working on making its communications crystal-clear.”

IFJ general secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: “"We deplore the brutal murder of Larry Que in the Philippines yesterday. Que's murder demonstrates the increasing challenges that journalists in the Philippines face reporting on drugs. Action needs to be taken by the Duterte administration to guarantee the safety and security of the media across the country, and work to strengthen the freedom of the press to report on stories of public interest." Larry Que is the first journalist killed in the Philippines under the new Duterte administration, however the Philippines remains one of the deadliest countries for journalists worldwide. According to IFJ research since 1990 more than 145 journalists have been killed in the Philippines. - IFJ media release/Image: NUJP

KEY POINTS:

• Larry Que was shot as he entered his office in Virac, Catadunanes.
• His murder followed his column criticizing local officials for negligence.
• The International Federation of Journalists calls for an immediate investigation.
• Que is the first journalist killed under Duterte's administration.
• The Philippines is one of the deadliest countries for journalists worldwide.