Veteran journalist Juan “Johnny” Dayang was shot and killed at his home in Kalibo, Aklan, on April 29. He was 89. The gunman fired through a window while Dayang was watching TV. He was hit in the neck and died shortly after at the hospital.
The Philippines has once again lost a respected voice—and once again, a journalist has died under violent and unresolved circumstances.
A Long Career in Journalism and Public Life
Dayang wasn’t just another name in media. He was one of the most well-known figures in provincial journalism. He led the Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc. (PAPI) and helped organize the Federation of Provincial Press Clubs, aiming to give regional journalists more support and visibility.
He also served as mayor of Kalibo during the late 1980s. Colleagues and public officials described him as both principled and generous, someone who shaped local media for decades.
His murder was met with strong condemnation. The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has vowed to investigate, but no suspects have been identified so far. Authorities have not ruled out that his past as a journalist and politician could be connected to the attack.
Another Dayang, Another Death
Johnny’s killing happened less than two years after another journalist with the same surname, Christopher Dayang, was gunned down in Zamboanga del Sur. Christopher, a former radio broadcaster, was known for his community-level reporting. Police said his death may have been politically motivated. No one has been charged in that case either.
It’s unclear whether the two Dayangs were related. But the similarity in their cases says something about the state of press freedom in the country.
A Deadly Pattern for Journalists
Journalist killings in the Philippines are not rare. Since 1986, more than 200 media workers have been murdered—many of them in small towns, far from Manila. The country regularly appears in the CPJ’s Impunity Index, which tracks places where journalist killers walk free.
The most horrific case was the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre, where 32 journalists were murdered in one day while covering a political convoy. Even now, many of the suspects remain unpunished.
Groups like Reporters Without Borders and CMFR continue to raise the alarm. Despite government promises, convictions are rare. Red-tagging, legal harassment, and physical threats remain part of the job—especially for those who speak up against local powers.
The murder of Johnny Dayang adds another name to a long, bitter list. Until real accountability exists, journalists across the country will keep facing threats simply for doing their work.
