Fiery radio journo killed in RP

Fiery radio journo killed in RP

PHILIPPINES: Outspoken radio broadcaster Jun Pala, who survived two murder attempts in recent years, was gunned down in the southern Philippine city of Davao late Saturday, police said.

Pala, a commentator on radio station DXGO, had just stepped out of a friend's house when two gunmen shot him dead, the police and co-workers said.

Lawmen said they had no immediate suspects in the killing.

There had been two previous attempts on the life of Pala, one in 2001 and another just last April. Pala was wounded in both incidents, in which no suspects were arrested.

In the 1980s, Pala had been a fiery critic of communist insurgent guerrillas who were active in the south. In recent years, he had publicly assailed local politicians for alleged corruption.

At least 41 journalists have been killed in the Philippines since democracy was restored in 1986, international press bodies have said. --AFP