Marcos orders PNP to probe fatal shooting of radio anchor

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Sunday vowed to bring justice to the murder of a radio broadcaster in Calamba, Misamis Occidental by ordering the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate the crime and apprehend the perpetrator.

In a statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Marcos strongly condemned the killing of Juan Jumalon, who was more commonly known as "Johnny Walker" of 94.7 Calamba Gold FM, on Sunday morning.

“Ang ganitong walang kabihasnang pag-atake sa ating mamamahayag ay walang lugar sa isang demokratikong bansa,” the President said.

(This barbaric attack on our journalists has no place in a democratic country.)

Marcos also extended his condolences to Jumalon's bereaved family.

“Makakaasa kayo ng aming masusing pagtutok upang mabigyan ng hustisya ang kanyang pagpaslang,” he added.

(You can count on our investigation to bring justice to his murder.)

Jumalon was at his home-based radio station in Barangay Don Bernardo A. Neri when he was shot at close range by an unidentified gunman.

He was pronounced dead on arrival when rushed to the Calamba District Hospital by his family.

The Police Regional Office 10 said Sunday it would create a special investigation task group (SITG) that would focus on the incident.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), meanwhile, denounced Jumalon's killing, noting that it was the 199th incident since 1986, and the fourth under the current administration. — DVM, GMA Integrated News