MANILA, Philippines — A community radio broadcaster was killed in his partner wounded when they were ambushed in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur Tuesday night, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines reported Wednesday morning.
Quoting from a police report, the NUJP said Christopher Iban Lozada, 29, operations manager and anchor of dxBF Prime Broadcasting Network, was driving home with Honey Faith Tuyco Indog around 9 p.m. when gunmen in a van caught up with them in P-5 Barangay Coleto and opened fire with what were described as “high powered firearms.”
Lozada was killed immediately while Indog was rushed to the Andres Soriano Hospital for treatment.
Although police said they have yet to determine the motive behind Lozada’s murder, well before the incident, the broadcaster had reported receiving multiple death threats, some of which he posted on his Facebook page.
He was also reportedly involved in the filing of charges against Bislig Mayor Librado Navarro, who was ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman last month.
If his killing is proven to be related to his work as a journalist, Lozada would be the fifth media practitioner murdered under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and the 178th since 1986, according to NUJP records.
