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May 05, 2026 – Philippines –
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged Philippine authorities to ensure full transparency and accountability in the investigation into the killing of journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma, who was shot dead during a military operation in Negros Occidental on 19 April 2026. The press freedom group is calling for close cooperation with an inquiry launched by the Commission on Human Rights into the circumstances of his death.
Ledesma, aged 30, was an editor for the online outlet Paghimutad-Negros and served as regional coordinator for the independent media network Altermidya in Negros Island. He was among 19 people killed during an army operation targeting an armed group in central Philippines.
His colleagues strongly dispute the military’s account of the incident. According to Altermidya and local human rights groups, Ledesma was not at the main site of the clash but was conducting immersion reporting in a nearby community, focusing on the impacts of renewable energy projects on farming populations.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, however, rejected claims that he was acting as a journalist, stating that all individuals killed were members of an armed group. Military officials further claimed that Ledesma had engaged in an exchange of fire with government troops during the operation.
Journalists and colleagues have also raised concerns about the possibility that evidence may have been staged after the operation, pointing to inconsistencies in items reportedly recovered from the scene. Altermidya has described such claims by the military as questionable and part of a broader pattern of “red-tagging,” a practice in which journalists and activists are labeled as insurgents or terrorist sympathizers without evidence.
RSF has stressed that the conflicting narratives surrounding Ledesma’s death require thorough, independent verification. The organization warned that the Philippines has a long history of journalists being criminalized or falsely associated with armed groups, making an impartial investigation essential to establish the truth.
Authorities have confirmed that the Commission on Human Rights has opened an investigation into the case, with RSF urging full cooperation from the military and all involved parties.
Ledesma’s death has added to ongoing concerns about press safety in the Philippines, a country consistently ranked among the most dangerous in the world for journalists, where killings of media workers frequently remain unresolved.
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