Radio broadcaster’s murder draws more condemnation

Juan “DJ Johnny Walker” Jumalon (Photo from his Facebook page)

MANILA, Philippines The on-air killing of radio broadcaster Juan “DJ Johnny Walker” Jumalon drew more condemnation, with the US Embassy and rights and media watch groups the latest to express their concern over the case of the journalist who was shot in a studio inside his house in Calamba, Misamis Occidental on Sunday.

“We welcome the steps taken by President Marcos, [Interior] Secretary [Benjamin] Abalos [Jr.] and the Philippine law enforcement authorities to solve this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the US Embassy said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Journalism is fundamental to a free society, and attacks on journalists put that freedom at risk,” it added.

Jumalon was the fourth journalist to be killed under the Marcos administration following radio hosts Cresenciano “Cris” Bunduquin in Oriental Mindoro, Percival “Percy” Mabasa in Las Piñas City, and Rey Blanco in Negros Oriental.

‘Unacceptable’

Diplomats from other countries had also extended their condolences to the victim’s family and denounced his murder.

EU Ambassador Luc Véron said in an X (formerly Twitter) post on Monday that “attacks on journalists are always unacceptable.”

Berlin “condemns the killing of journalists” and also supports the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a thorough investigation, according to German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke, also on X. For media and rights watchdogs, it was high time Marcos made good on his commitment not to tolerate any forms of abuses against the press by ensuring their protection.

The Southeast Asian branch of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also condemned the murder of Jumalon with Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative, saying the “wanton killing” showed that Marcos and his administration were not “doing enough to protect the press.”

“Talk is not equivalent to action,” Crispin said in a statement on Tuesday. He urged the administration to launch a “swift and thorough investigation” into Jumalon’s murder and determine if the case was related to his work.

“Until Marcos Jr.’s government shows it is serious about ending impunity for such killings, journalists will continue to be murdered at a horrific rate in the Philippines,” he stressed.

Impartial investigation

Carlos Conde, senior researcher of the Asian division of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said that the president should ensure the impartial investigation of Jumalon’s “brazen and swift” killing.

“As Marcos looks to garner support both at home and abroad, he should take this opportunity to demonstrate that his government is serious about press freedom, civil liberties, and human rights in the Philippines,” Conde said.

Hours after the killing was reported, Marcos ordered the police to launch an investigation and catch the perpetrators. The Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Commission on Human Rights have launched separate probes into the case.

The police, however, said that while they were not ruling out the motive as work-related, they were leaning more into the angle that the killing was over a personal reason.