Filipino Radio broadcaster murdered  in Misamis Occidental during live broadcast 

Juan Jumalon, 57, was shot at point blank on the head by an unidentified gunman 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

A radio broadcaster in Calamba town, Misamis Occidental was shot dead early Sunday while on air, police said. 

An initial report by the Calamba Municipal Police Station stated that the journalist, identified as Juan Jumalon, was broadcasting on radio station 94.7 Calamba Gold FM in his residence at Barangay Don Bernardo A. Neri when an unidentified gunman shot him in the head. 

The suspect "entered inside the gate of the house of the victim," based on the report. 

"The suspect fled away to unknown direction," it added. 

Jumalon's wife was able to bring him to a hospital but he was pronounced dead, according to the initial report. 

In an interview Police Capt. Diore Ragonio of the Calamba Municipal Police Station said they have leads for a possible suspect based on the testimony of the victim's child. 

He said the attack might not be related to Jumalon's work as a broadcaster.

"Sa investigation namin sa anak niya, may mas malalim pa na puwedeng dahilan sa pagkabaril niya," 

(From our investigation, there may be a deeper motive for the shooting.)

"Yung mga mabibigat na dahilan, rason sa pagkabaril niya, revelation 'yan ng anak niya... hindi pa talaga buo ang ebidensya," he added. 

The police said they already conducted a dragnet operation and set up checkpoints for the suspect's possible apprehension while investigation is underway. 

If found to be work-related, Jumalon's murder would be the 199th in the Philippines since 1986.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, which released the Global Impunity Index earlier this week, "the Philippines remains a dangerous place to work as a reporter, especially for radio journalists."

The Philippines was eighth on the "countries with the worst records on prosecuting killers of journalists." 

This was up from 8th in 2022 with the entry of Haiti into the index this year.