Radio journalist killed in southern Philippines
Erwin Labitad Segovia, 63, a broadcaster for Radio WOW FM and host of a programme that focused on social issues and local governance, was shot dead by a still unidentified gunman while on his way home shortly after completing his morning broadcast.
According to the police, Segovia was followed by two suspects on a motorcycle.
The Philippines ranked ninth on the 2024 Committee to Protect Journalists' Global Impunity Index, which tracks countries where journalist murders remain unsolved.
Authorities have launched an investigation and have activated a Special Investigation Task Group to handle the case, Jose Torres Jr., executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, said in a statement.
"The safety of journalists remains a priority for the government, and justice for victims of media-related violence continues to be a national concern," Torres said.
Segovia's murder highlights the continuing risks faced by journalists in the Philippines, especially in provinces where local power dynamics often go unchecked.
More than 200 journalists have been killed in the country since democracy was restored in 1986, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, including 32 in a single incident in 2009 in the south of the country.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Russia protests to Israel over alleged attack on diplomatic vehicle
(Reuters) -Russia lodged a formal protest to Israel following an alleged attack on a Russian diplomatic vehicle near the settlement of Givat Assaf near Jerusalem, according to a statement issued by the Russian foreign ministry. "On July 30, a vehicle of the Russian Federation's mission to the Palestinian National Authority, bearing diplomatic license plates and carrying personnel of the Russian diplomatic mission accredited by Israel's Foreign Ministry, was attacked near the illegal Israeli settlement of Givat Assaf, near Jerusalem, by a group of settlers," Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. The incident occurred "with the acquiescence of Israeli military personnel, who were present at the scene and did not attempt to stop the attackers' aggressive actions", she added. Reuters was not able to independently verify the Russian foreign ministry's report. Zakharova said the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv had submitted an official demarche to Israeli authorities.
The Hill
4 hours ago
- The Hill
The US jailing and silencing of journalists follows the autocrat's playbook
American leaders have long condemned authoritarian regimes for jailing reporters like Khaled Mamdouh, an Egyptian journalist accused of 'publishing and broadcasting fake news,' among other fabricated charges. In his case, the Egyptian government continues to manipulate the law to detain him. Now, the U.S. government is using its own draconian methods to detain Mario Guevara. The Committee to Protect Journalists says that he is the only journalist in custody in the U.S. for actions related to newsgathering. On June 14, Guevara was arrested while live-streaming a protest near Atlanta. He was standing on a sidewalk when he briefly stepped onto the street, deemed off limits by police. Wearing a red shirt marked 'PRESS,' he identified himself to officers, saying, 'I'm a member of the media.' Though Guevara is authorized to be in the U.S. after fleeing El Salvador two decades ago, he was arrested, and promptly handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A judge granted him bond, but ICE refused to accept the $7,500 payment, shuffling Guevara through multiple jails in order to keep him locked up. He remains behind bars today. Guevara's arrest comes as President Trump is leading a sweeping, coordinated campaign to undermine press freedoms and dismantle First Amendment protections. Each week, the administration's attacks grow bolder, the consequences more devastating. The nation that once demanded press freedom abroad is denying it at home — and emboldening other governments that persecute the press. But this isn't just an attack on journalism. It's an assault on the very principles the First Amendment was designed to protect: free expression, an informed public and the right of every American to speak, learn and dissent without fear of government retaliation. For decades, Democratic and Republican administrations have used diplomacy to free journalists unjustly detained abroad. Just last year, former President Joe Biden welcomed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on the tarmac after the State Department secured his release from a Russian prison. Now the U.S. is traveling down the autocratic road paved by China, Russia, Egypt and other nations with long records of repressing journalism by seizing control of the White House press pool, sidelining independent outlets that hold leaders to account and elevating loyalist media to deflect scrutiny. With congressional backing, the Trump administration has defunded NPR and PBS and dismantled Voice of America, crippling outlets that amplify truth and democratic values. Trump sued The Wall Street Journal and then barred it from an overseas White House trip in retaliation for its reporting on ties to Jeffrey Epstein. He politicized the traditionally independent Federal Communications Commission, using it to target disfavored media outlets in pursuit of partisan goals. Meanwhile, corporate giants like Disney (ABC's parent company) and Paramount Global (CBS's parent company) offered millions of dollars to settle spurious lawsuits, capitulating to government intimidation and fueling the cycle of press freedom assaults. In Trump's second term, the message to media organizations is clear: Comply and be rewarded — the FCC approved Paramount's $8 billion merger just days after the settlement — or face punishment. The Trump administration is accelerating the erosion of First Amendment protections by targeting those who shine a light on stories he wants buried. Attacks on lawyers, judges, educators and civil society all come from the same authoritarian playbook. It's a coordinated, multi-pronged attack designed to fuel an information ecosystem where truth is replaced by state-approved narratives, and journalism is only prized if it serves power. As all of this unfolds, the public appears significantly less aware of Trump's assaults on the press than during his first term. In 2017, a Pew Research Center report early in his first presidency found 72 percent of U.S. adults had heard 'a lot' about Trump's relationship with the media, a number that was cut in half early in his second term. While skepticism toward the media has grown, public apathy is also driven by reduced exposure to traditional news. Professional journalists now compete with social media clips, YouTube personalities and partisan echo chambers. The collapse of local news is accelerating civic disengagement as news deserts spread. When a journalist like Guevara is unjustly detained, we lose stories that hold leaders accountable. When public broadcasters like NPR and PBS are defunded, rural communities lose trusted sources of information. The First Amendment invites scrutiny, which threatens this White House. The courts, Congress and corporations have shown little interest in constraining the administration. The burden now falls on the public. We must demand Guevara's release and reject the criminalization of journalism. We must support local news and defend credible reporting. Protecting press freedom isn't just about journalism, but safeguarding our own right to speak, dissent and know the truth. In Egypt, Mamdouh has entered his second year of pretrial detention. The question now is whether America will act to defend Guevara, or continue to fall in lockstep with nations it once condemned.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
US hunter reportedly killed by buffalo during expedition in South Africa
An American game hunter was killed by a buffalo he was stalking during a hunting expedition in South Africa over the weekend, according to multiple reports. Asher Watkins, 52, of Texas, died on 3 August while tracking a 1.3-ton Cape buffalo in South Africa's Limpopo province, according to a statement from Coenraad Vermaak Safaris (CV Safaris), the company that organized the hunting trip. 'It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts we confirm the tragic death of our client and friend Asher Watkins from the USA,' CV Safaris said in the statement, obtained by the Metro new outlet and other publications. 'On Sunday 3rd August, while on a hunting safari with us in South Africa's Limpopo Province, Asher was fatally injured in a sudden and unprovoked attack by an unwounded buffalo he was tracking together with one of our professional hunters and one of our trackers,' the statement adds. According to Metro, the buffalo suddenly charged at Watkins at 35 mph (56 km/h). 'This is a devastating incident, and our hearts go out to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,' the company said, adding that it is 'doing everything we can to support the family members who are here with us and those back in the United States as they navigate this tragic loss'. Metro reported that Watkins' brother Amon, mother Gwen and stepfather Tony were waiting for him at the safari lodge when the incident occurred, and CV Safaris also said it was in touch with Watkins's teenage daughter, Savannah, and his ex-wife, Courtney. A warning on the CV Safari website notes the dangers of Cape buffaloes. 'No species on the planet has a more fearsome reputation than a Cape buffalo,' the statement reads, adding that the buffaloes are 'responsible for several deaths and many injuries to hunters each year'. Watkins's ex-wife also reportedly confirmed his death on social media, according to People magazine, writing that Watkins died on Sunday 'suddenly in a tragic accident involving a Cape buffalo while on a hunting trip in South Africa'. 'It's a reality that's still hard to put into words,' she added. 'Our hearts are heavy as we navigate the days ahead, especially for Savannah as she grieves her dad.' A Texas native and Baylor University graduate, Watkins was a managing partner at Watkins Ranch Group, affiliated with Briggs Freeman and LIV Sotheby's International Realty. His company biography described him as someone who 'spent the better part of his life in the outdoors and on ranches' and a 'proud and devoted father'. Watkins had a Facebook page where he shared hunting photos, often posing beside animals he had killed, including deer and mountain lions. Solve the daily Crossword
