Media organizations condemned the brutal murder of Philippine radio journalist Erwin “Boy Pana” Segovia on July 21, 2025 in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.
Initial police reports showed that Segovia was on his way home when he was followed by two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle and was shot on the head in Barangay Mangagoy. The 63-year-old radio broadcaster had just finished hosting his public affairs program “Diritsahan!” on Radio WOW FM, which focused on local governance, community issues, and socio-political topics.
Segovia had been reporting on local governance issues prior to the killing, including problems in public elementary schools and concerns raised by tricycle drivers opposing a new transport route that they believed would hurt their livelihoods.
Local authorities have formed a Special Investigation Task Group to lead the probe, and a manhunt is currently in progress.
The incident, following the killings of Juan “Johnny” Dayang and Ali Macalintal earlier this year, has renewed calls from media organizations urging Philippine authorities to intensify efforts to protect journalists and ensure they can work without fear of intimidation and violence.
In a statement, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called on the Philippine government to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to ensure that the perpetrators and the masterminds behind the killing of Segovia are held accountable. The organization also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take decisive action to end the culture of violence against journalists and to break the cycle of impunity that continues to embolden attacks on the press.
If confirmed to be work-related, Segovia would be counted as the fifth journalist killed in the line of duty under the Marcos Jr. administration.
In an earlier statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said that while Marcos Jr. has made encouraging remarks about protecting journalists and upholding media freedom, these have yet to be backed by meaningful action. Authorities have failed to prosecute and bring to justice the masterminds behind the killings of radio journalists Percy Mabasa, Cris Bundoquin, and Juan Jumalon.
The police have not yet identified any suspects or made arrests in connection with the June 23, 2025, killing of former radio broadcaster Ali Macalintal in General Santos City.
Murder charges have been filed against the gunman and two lookouts in the killing of former Kalibo mayor and veteran journalist Johnny Dayang. The Philippine National Police (PNP) declared the case cleared after identifying the gunman, but Dayang’s family criticized the move, noting that he remains at large.
Johnny Dayang served as president of the Publishers Association of the Philippines Incorporated (PAPI) for over 20 years and was also founding president of the Federation of Provincial Press Clubs of the Philippines. The 89-year-old was shot dead at his residence in Barangay Andagaw, Kalibo on April 29, 2025.
“A case is not ‘cleared’ when the key suspect is still free. It is not ‘cleared’ when the principal has not been identified. It is not ‘cleared’ when justice has not been delivered,” said Dayang’s son Jed.
Aubrey Ayon, spokesperson of the Aklan provincial police’s Special Investigation Task Group, explained that the declaration was made in compliance with the PNP’s internal guidelines. The PNP, she said, defines a case “cleared” when at least one suspect has been identified, evidence is deemed sufficient, and formal charges have been filed. One of the offenders in the case of Dayang has been identified, she said.
The Aklan Press Club also criticized the PNP’s declaration of the case as “cleared” calling it misleading and potentially leading to complacency in the justice system. The statement, signed by the club’s officers, will be sent to the local police and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS).
Since 1986, 147 journalists have been murdered in the Philippines, while one journalist, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, remains in detention. As of 2025, the country ranks 116th out of 180 in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, highlighting its continued status as one of the most dangerous places in the world for the press. The NUJP cites the ongoing 14-year court case against alleged mastermind Joel T. Reyes in the killing of Gerry Ortega as an example of the deep-rooted impunity that persists in the country.
Photo © Raffy Lerma