A broadcast journalist was killed by two unidentified gunmen in a southern Philippine city, according to news reports. Badrodin Abas, 38, was shot in the head by two motorcycle-riding gunmen late Wednesday in Cotabato City, 930km south of Manila, according to the city's police chief, Senior Superintendent Willie Dangane.
Dangane said the victim, a broadcaster for a radio station in Cotabato, was riding in his van when the suspects blocked it and shot him in the head. "Abas died on the spot due to a bullet wound in the head," Dangane told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) nwes agency. "Investigators are still determining the motive behind the attack."
Abas was the first journalist killed in the country this year. In 2008, seven journalist were killed while four journalists were killed the previous year. In 2006, 13 journalists were killed. Most of the killings remained unsolved.
Abbas was using his radio programme to promote Islam and attack opponents of a proposed territory deal between Manila and Muslim rebels fighting for self-determination for 40 years, according to a Reuters report. A government taskforce investigating journalist killings condemned the murder of the radio commentator.
"It is lamentable that the year has hardly begun, yet another journalist has been killed," said Ricardo Blancaflor, undersecretary at the justice department and head of taskforce 211, adding he had sent a forensic team to investigate.
