Tabloid columnist shot dead in Masbate

A tabloid columnist was shot dead by motorcycle-riding suspects in Masbate on Monday morning, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said.

Citing media reports, the NUJP said Remate columnist Joaquin Briones was shot four times in the back along Bombon Bridge, Sitio Feeder Road in Barangay Bacolod at around 8:45 a.m.

Briones, also known as “Dos por Dos” in his previous local radio program, was a hard-hitting journalist convicted in 2000 of libel. After 12 years in jail, he was granted parole after serving almost half of his sentence, NUJP said.

Briones was the second journalist killed under the Duterte administration following the killing of Cantanduanes News Now publisher Larry Que last Dec. 20. JE/rga