Filipino radio professional shot dead, PEC demands justice
By Navajyoti Thakuria
Geneva, 23 March 2026:
Another radio professional was killed in the Philippines last Friday, spreading panic among the media fraternity in the island nation. The victim, identified as Julio Calo (49), was shot dead by a miscreant in front of his residence at Barangay Robles under La Castellana locality on 20 March 2026. Julio used to work as a community radio block-timer for 88.3 DNN News FM, and he died on the spot after sustaining a serious injury on head. The gunman left the crime place in a white sport utility vehicle.
Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights organization, condemned the incident and demanded justice for the victim. PEC chief Blaise Lempen observed that the Philippines continues to be a dangerous country for journalists and other media workers. “The island nation has lost a significant number of media employees in recent years, but shockingly, most of the cases remain unresolved, where the perpetrators get immunity from the corrupt system. PEC (pressemblem.ch) urges an impartial probe into the incident and stringent punishment for the murder under the law,” said Lempen.
PEC’s south and southeast Asia representative, Nava Thakuria, informed that a block-timer, recognized as a broadcaster in the Philippines, usually purchases airtime from a radio station to host community programs independently. The victim ran a program in a community radio station based in Himamaylan City. Julio thus becomes the 14th journo-victim this year around the world and the first one in his country. It recorded four journo-casualties (Juan Johny Dayang, Erwin Labitad Segovia, Noel Bellen Samar, and Gerry Campos in 2025.
