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Alert

Journalist killed

(CMFR/IFEX) - On the night of 28 February 2005, community newspaper columnist Arnulfo Villanueva was gunned down in Naic, Cavite, just south of Manila, according to a report by "The Philippine Star". He is the first journalist to be killed in the Philippines in 2005.

Villanueva, 43, a columnist for "Asian Star Express Balita", was found by a local village official along a national road at Barangay Timalan. His body was pierced with shotgun bullets.

Naic Police Chief Pablo Zorilla said police are tracking down a woman, who was seen riding with the journalist on board a motorcycle shortly before he was killed, to shed some light on the killing.

Police are still investigating if Villanueva's murder was related to his profession. The journalist reportedly criticised some local officials over illegal gambling in some parts of Cavite province.

Zorilla added that police were also looking into a possible "love angle." Villanueva was living with a woman in the nearby town of Dasmariñas, although his recorded residence was in Naic, according to local reports.

The attack on Villanueva comes just under three months after the killing of Ifugao writer Stephen Omaois, the 12th journalist to be killed in the Philippines in 2004. It is believed that Omaois's murder was not related to his work.

Violence and threats against local journalists continue this year, amidst efforts by the government and local media organisations to pursue justice on past killings, most notably on the murder of Edgar Damalerio, of Pagadian City (see IFEX alerts of 14, 4 and 2 February 2005, 13 September 2004, 10 November, 6 August and 8 July 2003, and others).