The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and its Albay chapter called for justice for the shooting and killing of Noel Bellen Samar, a broadcaster of the program Kadunong Internet TV. Samar’s program aired on two radio stations in Albay.

Samar died at the hospital on the afternoon of October 21 after being shot in Barangay Morera, Guinobatan in Albay on the morning of October 20. He was rushed to the hospital but later died from complications caused by four gunshot wounds.

“We must put an end to the continuing media impunity that threatens the safety of journalists in the country,” NUJP-Albay said. The group urged the police to thoroughly investigate the attack on Samar, stating that the case is not only a matter of personal injustice but also a direct assault on press freedom.

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP)-Albay and the province’s local media also condemned all forms of attacks that endanger press freedom and the safety of journalists.

According to the national leadership of the NUJP, no journalist should face death simply for performing their duty. “The threats and other forms of attacks will not persist if the Marcos Jr. administration is serious about ending impunity,” said the NUJP.

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)-Bicol, church people and religious groups, and other organizations also joined the call for justice. They likewise expressed their condolences to the victim’s family and relatives.

“Amid the continuous attacks against truth-tellers, CEGP-Bicol stands together with journalists who continue to fight for justice, accountability, and a truly free society,” said the alliance of campus publications in Bicol.

The Philippines ranks ninth among countries in the world with no accountability for journalist killings, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 2024 global impunity index. The Philippines has appeared in the list every year since the report was first released in 2008.