Fatal Shooting of Radio Anchor in Philippines During Live Broadcast Shocks Nation

In a fatal shooting that unfolded in the southern Philippines, a radio anchor lost his life when a man launched a bold attack on his station. Shockingly, the assault was witnessed by viewers watching the live program on Facebook.

On a Sunday morning in Calamba town, Misamis Occidental province, a brazen gunman gained access to the home-based radio station of Juan Jumalon, a provincial news broadcaster. The attacker, posing as a listener, fired two fatal shots during a live broadcast.

After the assault, the assailant seized the victim’s gold necklace and fled the scene in the company of an accomplice, who had been waiting on a motorcycle outside Jumalon’s residence. Authorities are conducting an investigation to identify the gunman and ascertain whether the attack was linked to Jumalon’s work. The Philippines has long held the dubious distinction of being one of the most perilous places for journalists worldwide.

In response to this horrifying incident, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed strong condemnation and announced that he had directed the national police to pursue, apprehend, and prosecute the perpetrators. He emphasized the country’s commitment to upholding the freedom of the press and vowed that those who threaten it will face the full weight of the law.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, a vigilant advocate for press freedom, disclosed that Jumalon became the 199th journalist to lose their life in the country since 1986, a year marked by the return of democracy following the “People Power” uprising that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the father of the current president. The union decried the attack’s heinous nature, as it occurred within Jumalon’s own home, which also served as the radio station.

A video capturing the incident revealed Jumalon, 57, momentarily pausing and looking away from the camera before two gunshots rang out. He slumped back in his chair, bloodied, while background music continued to play. Tragically, he was declared dead while en route to the hospital.

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Although the attacker was not visible on the Facebook livestream, authorities are exploring the possibility of security cameras in Jumalon’s house and neighboring properties having recorded valuable evidence.

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