A broadcaster from Mati, Davao Oriental, in Mindanao island was shot dead Monday night, police said.

A belated message from the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) said Desidario “Jessie” Camangyan, 52, anchorman of Sunrise FM in Mati, was sitting onstage at a singing contest he was emceeing in Barangay Macopa, Manay town when the unidentified killer shot him at close range beneath the right ear at around 10:30 p.m.

PRO 11 spokesman, Superintendent Querubin Manalang, said the “Special Investigation Task Force Caangyan” headed by Superintendent Jorge Corpuz has been set up to investigate the killing.

Although the police gave no possible motive for the killing, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines chapter in Davao City reported that Camangyan campaigned for Mayor Michelle Rabat during the May 10 elections.

He was also known to have criticized mining and illegal logging operations in Davao Oriental.

The NUJP chapter quoted Bobong Alcantara, station manager of Sunrise Radio, as saying he believes Camangyan’s attacks on logging operations could be behind the killing.

The victim had gone to Barangay Makopa with his wife and 6-year old son.

Camangyan is the 138th media worker murdered since 1986 and the 101st under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who steps down at the end of the month, the count of the NUJP shows.

The deaths under Arroyo include 32 media workers killed in the November 23 Ampatuan massacre, in which 58 persons were slaughtered.