JOURNALISM community and advocacy groups demanded swift justice after an 89-year-old media icon was shot and killed by an unknown assailant inside his residence in Kalibo town, Aklan province of the Catholic-majority Philippines on the evening of April 29, 2025.
Juan “Johnny” Dayang, who will turn 90 this June, was watching TV when a bonnet-wearing gunman fired three shots from outside his residence, fatally hitting him on his neck and back.
“Dayang's long and distinguished career spanned decades. He served as president Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc. (Papi) for over 20 years, leaving an indelible mark on the organization and the Philippine publishing landscape,” said PapiPresident Nelson Santos in a statement on April 30.
As Papi chairman emeritus and a prominent figure in Philippine journalism, Dayang was also president of the Manila Overseas Press Club, a former director of the National Press Club, and the founding president of the Federation of Provincial Press Clubs of the Philippines.
During the time of his murder, Dayang held the position of secretary of the Catholic Mass Media Awards.
He was a columnist for Balita and Tempo newspapers, under Manila Bulletin publications.
Dayang became a mayor of Kalibo town from March 1986 to January 1987, during the restoration of democracy in the country.
“The death of Dayang represents a significant loss to the Philippine media and political landscape. His legacy of leadership, dedication to journalism, and public service will be remembered for generations to come. The nation mourns the passing of this remarkable individual,” Santos said.
“We strongly condemn this killing, and we are calling for justice. He did not deserve this cruel and senseless end,” he added.
Contemptible death
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, a non-governmental trade association representing the interests of Filipino journalists founded in 1986, said the attack “is especially contemptible” considering Dayang's age.
While the group appreciated the swift action of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security on the incident, they also joined the community in calling for a thorough investigation and resolution of this killing, which happened as the country is also about to mark World Press Freedom Day on May 3.
The Aklan Press Club Inc. also identified Dayang not only as a pillar of their press organization but also as a respected media man, a father, mentor, and friend to so many.
“His dedication, wisdom, and inspiring spirit touched countless lives, and his legacy will continue to inspire us all,” it said.
In a report with Catholic news site UCA News, Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr., executive director of PTFOMS said they are “still investigating” if the killing of Dayang was political or work-related.
“The Philippine National Police is actively leading the investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible for this heinous act. We are closely coordinating with all concerned agencies to ensure the immediate resolution of this case," said Torres Jr. in a separate statement to the media.
"Johnny Dayang's murder is unconscionable and we urge the Marcos administration to get to the bottom of the killing and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Killings of journalists in the Philippines remains a very serious matter, made worse by the absence or lack of accountability," Carlos Conde, former journalist and now senior researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch said.
Ricky Bautista, a newspaper publisher based in Samar province of the central Philippines, recalled meeting Dayang during Papi events many years ago.
“For years, he held a key leadership role in the Papi, where he consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to journalistic integrity and press freedom. To many of his colleagues, he’s regarded as a father figure in the field of community media in the country,” Bautista told Sunstar Philippines.
In March 2025, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders reported that with 147 journalists killed since the restoration of democracy in 1986, the Philippines remains one of the deadliest countries for media practitioners.
The Philippines ranked 134th out of 180 in the 2024 RSF World Press Freedom Index.
In November 2009 alone, 32 media workers were massacred in the southern province of Maguindanao.
Impunity for these crimes is almost total, according to RSF.
“At the regional level, many journalists are also the target of threats and lawsuits, while women journalists are subjected to specific gender-based threats, such as threats of rape, cyber-harassment, disclosure of personal details and so on,” RSF added. (Ronald O. Reyes/SunStar Philippines)