About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Opportunities and assistance:

Alert

Radio correspondent killed in Laguna province

(CMFR/IFEX) - On the morning of 12 August 2004, Fernando Consignado, a correspondent for the Manila-based Catholic news station Radio Veritas, was found dead inside his home in Nagcarlan town, Laguna province, south of Manila. He was the fourth journalist murdered in less than two weeks in the Philippines.

Consignado, 50, died from a single bullet wound in the head, Nagcarlan Police Chief Inspector Jun Urriquia told CMFR in a telephone interview.

Urriquia said the police found a spent .45 calibre pistol casing inside the victim's house. He added that based on the autopsy, Consignado had already been dead for 12 hours before a neighbour, Faustino Baldevino, found him at around 10:00 a.m. (local time) on 12 August.

The police chief said Consignado's death may not be connected to his work as a radio journalist. A land dispute is presently believed to be the strongest motive for the killing.

"Even the family is convinced that he was not killed because of his job," Urriquia said.

Urriquia added that Consignado had been "inactive" as a journalist for about two months. The last time he worked as a radio reporter was during the May elections. He also said the victim's Radio Veritas identification card was valid only until 31 December 2002.

Dennis Geron, a coordinator and advisor for Radio Veritas's pool of volunteer reporters, told CMFR that Consignado had earlier informed him that he would temporarily give up reporting because he had matters to settle with his family. Consignado continued to provide Radio Veritas with leads on local issues, however. Geron also believes that Consignado's death was not work-related.

Police have not identified any suspects to date.