The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the killing of journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma during a local military operation. IPI calls on the Commission on Human Rights to undertake an expedited, credible, and transparent investigation into his death and demands that those responsible for this attack be brought to justice.
Ledesma, who was the chief editor of local news outlet Paghimutad‑Negros, was killed on April 19 during a Philippine Army operation against suspected communist rebels in Negros Occidental that killed 19 people.
The circumstances of Ledesma’s death are not clear. Local media reports indicate he was not near the site of the military clash at the time of his death, but was rather reporting nearby on the local impact of renewable energy projects. According to colleagues, Ledesma’s reporting often centred on environmental and human rights issues, as well as the plight of marginalised communities.
In the days following the military clash, the Commission on Human Rights announced an independent investigation into the incident, citing conflicting accounts from the military, which disputed accusations that civilians had been killed, and civil society groups, which asserted that non-combatants had been killed.
The Philippine military and government has long maintained a practice of “red-tagging,” the labelling of individuals or organisations as members of armed terrorist groups or communist sympathisers without substantial evidence. Prior to Ledesma’s death, Paghimutad‑Negros, the online outlet where he worked, had reportedly been subjected to red‑tagging by the Philippine Army.
In another prominent case of red-tagging, Philippine journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio was sentenced to a maximum of 18 years in prison in January 2026 on spurious charges of financing terrorism. Her conviction was upheld by a regional court in March.
“IPI demands full justice for the killing of journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma,” said IPI Director of Advocacy Amy Brouillette. “Failure to take concrete action against perpetrators of this and all crimes against the press will only increase the already rampant impunity in the Philippines and around the world, in which blatant violations of laws and norms by the powerful have become routine.”
Ledesma is the second journalist to be killed in the Philippines this year, according to IPI monitoring. On March 20, local radio journalist Julito “Jaz” Diamante Calo was shot outside his home by an armed attacker in an SUV. There have been no arrests in connection to his killing.