Philippines police probe death of 4-year-old in attack on journalist

Manila, Jul 3 (EFE) – Authorities in the Philippines on Monday confirmed police were investigating the death of a four-year-old boy following injuries sustained during the shooting in Manila of a Filipino journalist.

The boy, who died in hospital over the weekend, was traveling in a vehicle with his uncle, photojournalist Joshua Abiad, and other family members on Friday when a group of gunmen ambushed them and fired at the car and its passengers.

At least three other people, including Abiad, were injured in the incident, the police said.

Authorities told EFE on Monday that they were investigating the assault but declined to provide further details on the possible motives for the attack.

According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NJUP), Abiad “had signed as a witness in drug busts.”

“While agreeing to be a witness in drug operations is commendable and no doubt done out of a sense of civic duty, NJUP has long cautioned against the practice because it puts colleagues at risk,” the organization warned in a statement.

Attacks on journalists in Manila are less common than in the rest of the country but the Philippines remains one of the deadliest countries for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Some 281 media workers have been killed since 1986, according to NUJP.

In 82% of cases, the crimes have yet to be solved, according to the Commission to Protect Journalists Global Impunity Index. EFE

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