Nestor Micator, a reporter for D’Empire Radio Broadcasting Network and a member of the local village council, was killed on May 2, 2026 in Barangay Fort Pikit, Malidegao town, Cotabato province. Police say two unidentified men on a motorcycle shot him in the head. Investigators said nearby CCTV cameras were not working during the attack.
Micator was declared dead on arrival at Cruzado Medical Hospital.
Reports indicate that Micator’s coverage of illegal drug trafficking in the area may have been a motive for the attack. He was known for consistently reporting on police anti-drug operations. According to his family, he may have been suspected of acting as a police informant while doing his job as a journalist.
According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Micator is the eleventh journalist killed since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. became president, and none of these cases has been solved.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and the IFJ both condemned the killing, saying it shows how impunity continues and that the government has failed to protect journalists.
“Micator should not add to the list of these unresolved cases,” the NUJP said, adding that the murder shows the administration has not protected journalists or press freedom.
“The culture of impunity for crimes against journalists in the country must end, and those responsible must be swiftly brought to justice,” said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also called for a full investigation. “Until President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s government shows it is serious about preventing and resolving media murders, these wanton killings will continue,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative.
Photo © Raffy Lerma