Julius Barellano, a correspondent of a radio station in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, Philippines, died after being shot by unknown assailants earlier last week.

Barellano was a volunteer reporter for Radyo Bandera Sweet FM-Bacolod and also served as chairman of Hacienda Medina Farm Workers Association, a local chapter of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW) in San Carlos City.

According to San Carlos City police chief Supt. D’Artagnan Katalbas Barellano was standing in front of his house in Barangay Rizal when he was shot at close range by one of the suspects riding a motorcycle.

Eljohn Castano, Radyo Bandera Sweet-FM manager, said the killing of Barellano took place as they also marked the first anniversary of their operation in Bacolod City.

The NFSW in a statement condemned the killing and said Barellano led farmers in Sito Medina against a landowner who wants to take over their land.

“It was just in Tuesday when the people won for the third time when the court issued a dismissal order of the ejectment case filed against them by the landowner,” the group added.
It said the victim was up against “one of the most influential persons in the province.”

This land-related case “may be the motive behind the killing of Barellano,” the NFSW said.

In a message sent to the station, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security said “it will conduct a probe of the incident as soon as possible.”