Philippines reporter shot dead by unknown gunmen

Violence against journalists shows no sign of abating in the country

A local mayor was ambushed in a shooting at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Reuters

A journalist was shot dead in his home on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines on Sunday.

Orlando Dinoy’s killers broke into his home in Bansalan town and shot him six times, police chief Maj Peter Ipong said. An investigation is under way.

Mr Dinoy was working for Newsline Philippines, an online publication.

“One of the angles we are looking at is his work as a media man … but no one can give us a concrete lead so far,” Maj Ipong told AFP.

Gen Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police, has vowed to protect the media from further violence and pledged that the attack on Mr Dinoy will be thoroughly investigated.

Violence against journalists has remained at high levels in recent years. But there was a surge in killings in 2009, with 30 journalists massacred in Maguindanao province while covering local elections, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Since then, there has been a steady number of murders of reporters, according to the CPJ. At least 21 have been killed since 2016, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said.

The crimes are rarely solved. But in many cases, victims have been investigating organised crime or corruption.

Last year, investigative journalist ​​Jobert Bercasio was shot dead while reporting on illegal logging operations. His killing — one of the more high-profile murders of a reporter — led Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay to call for an investigation.

In pictures: crime in the Philippines