21 June 2006
TWO JOURNALISTS GUNNED DOWN
Philippine authorities have been urged to investigate the killing of a couple in Kidapawan on the southern island of Mindanao to determine whether both were killed because of their work as journalists.
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report that George Vigo and Macel Alave-Vigo were shot and killed by unidentified gunmen as they were returning home on 19 June 2006.
Vigo was a contributor to the "Union of Catholic Asian News", a news agency, and was executive director of the People's Kauyahan Foundation Inc, a non-governmental organisation that promotes dialogues on peace. He also presented a programme for youth on radio dxND.
Alave-Vigo hosted a weekly programme, "Kalihukan sa Kongreso" ("Congress Affairs"), on radio dxND and worked for congressional representative Emmylou Taliño-Santos. The couple also helped create the Federation of Reporters for Empowerment and Equality (FREE). They had four children.
The Philippines National Police has begun an investigation into the murders. According to IFJ, six journalists have now been killed in the Philippines this year. In 2005, only Iraq had more journalists killed than in any other country.
Visit these links:
- IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3995&Language=EN
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=18065
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/asia/phil20june06na.html
- CMFR: http://www.cmfr-phil.org/
- National Union of Journalists of the Philippines: http://www.nujp.org/
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