A radio commentator was shot dead in The Philippines on Monday, confirming the country as one of the most dangerous places for journalists.

Romeo Olea, who hosted a morning programme at the local private radio station dwEB-FM in Nabua town, was shot twice in the back while riding his motorcycle to work in the neighboring town of Iriga just before 6:00 in the morning. Witnesses rushed Olea to a nearby medical centre, where he was pronounced dead.

“It is not acceptable that in a well-established democracy such as The Philippines the rate of killings of journalists and the related impunity levels are so high,” said IPI Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. “We urge the government of The Philippines to consider the fight against impunity as one of its top priorities and establish special commissions to investigate crimes against journalists.”

Three other journalists have been killed in The Philippines since the beginning of the year. The murder of Gerardo Ortega was almost certainly in connection with his reports. In the other cases the motive remains unclear.

Oleas’ wife told the police that her husband had received threats before, according to local police director Senior Superintendent Victor Deona. Deona noted that police had yet to review the content of such threatening messages as well as of Oleas’ broadcasts to confirm that the journalist was killed in connection with his work, AFP reported. However, Deona stated that “there is a very big possibility that this is work-related.”

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda condemned the “cold-blooded murder of reporter and radio commentator Romeo Olea” and stated that the “Department of Interior and Local Government has ordered an investigation for the purpose of identifying, apprehending and charging the culprits.”