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June 23, 2025 – Philippines –
Ali Jejhon Macalintal, a former freelance radio broadcaster and prominent LGBTQ+ and human rights advocate, was shot and killed inside a massage spa in Barangay Lagao, General Santos City, Philippines. The 35-year-old, known for her work with Radyo Bandera News FM and as a deputy secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan SOCCSKSARGEN, was also an active member of the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Bahaghari.
Macalintal had been using the spa space to offer acupuncture therapy and traditional healing services. According to local police, two assailants arrived on a motorcycle and entered the premises under the pretense of being clients. One suspect shot Macalintal multiple times in the head and torso using a .45-caliber handgun before fleeing. She was rushed to the hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.
The attack has drawn strong condemnation from press freedom, LGBTQ+, and human rights organizations across the Philippines. Groups including Karapatan, Bahaghari, and local media unions have called for a transparent investigation into the murder and for authorities to explore all possible motives, including her past journalistic work, activism, and transgender identity. Friends and colleagues confirmed that Macalintal had previously received threats, although it remains unclear whether the attack was personally or politically motivated.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has initiated coordination with the Philippine National Police’s Region 12 division to investigate any possible links to her work in journalism. Macalintal had hosted critical radio programs and participated in campaigns highlighting extrajudicial killings and state repression in the southern Philippines.
Her killing underscores the persistent dangers faced by journalists, human rights defenders, and LGBTQ+ individuals in the country. Despite repeated promises by Philippine authorities to protect vulnerable voices, impunity remains a serious challenge. Macalintal’s death brings renewed urgency to demands for robust legal protections and accountability mechanisms.
As tributes pour in, many remember Macalintal not only as a journalist and activist but as a healer and courageous voice for the marginalized. Her murder is a devastating blow to media freedom, human rights, and the LGBTQ+ community in Mindanao.
Reference –
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2073820/rights-activist-shot-dead-in-gensan
https://www.brigadanews.ph/ex-radio-broadcaster-shot-dead-inside-gensan-massage-spa/
