Radio journalist Renante “Rey” Cortes, who worked for DyRB radio station located in Mambaling, Cebu City, Philippines was shot dead last Thursday, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) reported.
Cortes used to host a regular political news program in which he often criticised the local elite, often resulting in conflict with political personalities.
According to the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), he had been the target of a murder attempt in the past.
He was leaving the station around 9 am, just after finishing his show when an unidentified gunman on a bike shot him. He was pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital.
Rappler reported that DyRB administrative associate Nova Banawan said two unidentified people had visited the station’s office a day before the attack to inquire about his schedule.
(RSF) called on the Philippine government to order an independent investigation.
“We urge the Philippine authorities to order an independent investigation that sheds all possible light on the killing of Renante Cortes,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) Asia-Pacific desk. “The context of this journalist’s murder (as he left the radio station), the method used by his killers and the previous attempt on his life – this very disturbing combination clearly indicates that he was targeted in a reprisal for his work. In these circumstances, any negligence in the police investigation would be seen as a denial of justice for all journalists.”
The Philippines is ranked 138th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2021 World Press Freedom Index.
“Authorities must fully and independently investigate the killing of journalist Renante ‘Rey’ Cortes, determine if it was related to his reporting, and bring all those involved swiftly to justice,” said Shawn Crispin, Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) senior Southeast Asia representative. “Until authorities show they are serious about bringing violent attacks on journalists to justice, these wanton killings will continue.”
The Philippines ranked seventh on CPJ’s most recent Impunity Index, a ranking of countries worldwide where journalists are slain and their killers go free.