Philippines condemns 'barbaric' killing of broadcast journalist

23/10/2024 17:42

        The Philippine president's office called on Wednesday for an investigation to leave no stone unturned in bringing to justice the killers of a broadcast journalist in a southern province.
        
        Despite a media environment that ranks as one of the most liberal in Asia, the Philippines remains one of the world's most dangerous places for journalists, particularly in its provinces.
        
        Maria Vilma Rodriguez was shot three times by a lone suspect on Tuesday in a store near her home in Zamboanga City, the police said, in an incident condemned by the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and a journalists' group.
        
        "These kinds of vile and atrocious acts have no place in our nation, which values freedom, democracy, and the rule of law above all," the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement, describing the attack as barbaric.
        
        Police arrested a suspect on Wednesday, said Zamboanga City police official Kimberly Molitas, but declined to identify the individual. Police were looking at a family feud as a potential motive, she added.