The Director-General of UNESCO Koïchiro Matsuura, Frid ay condemned the killing of Fernando Lintuan, a Filipino radio broadcaster in Davao, on Mindanao Island, 24 December 2007. According to a UNESCO press statement, issued in Paris, France, and made avail able to PANA here, Mr. Matsuura expressed the hope that the Filipino authorities would bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice. He said, I condemn the murder of Fernando Lintuan. I trust that the authoriti es expressed commitment to bring the perpetrators to justice will be crowned wi t h success. “It is essential for democracy and rule of law, that journalists be able to ex ercise their profession without being afraid for their lives. “This is the case not only because we must respect the fundamental human right of freedom of expression, but because of the medias essential role in democrat i c debate. Mr. Lintuan, 51, known for his criticism of corruption, was shot at close range on his way home from the local radio station dxGO. He is the fifth journalist killed in the Philippines in the course of 2007, ac cording to the International Federation of Journalists.
