Local authorities examine the crime scene where veteran journalist and former Kalibo mayor Juan “Johnny” Dayang was gunned down in his home on Tuesday evening (April 29, 2025). The Philippine National Police on Wednesday (April 30, 2025) vowed to take urgent and decisive action to ensure justice is served for the killing of Dayang. (Photo courtesy of Jun Aguirre)
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday committed to taking swift and decisive action in response to the killing of former Kalibo, Aklan mayor and veteran journalist Juan “Johnny” Dayang.
PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil vowed that authorities “will not rest until those responsible are brought to justice.”
“Mr. Juan ‘Johnny’ Dayang was not only a respected journalist but a pillar of Philippine media. To attack a man of his age and stature within the safety of his home is an affront to human dignity and a direct assault on the principles of press freedom he championed throughout his life,” Marbil said.
The PNP extended its condolences to Dayang’s family and the media community, paying tribute to his decades-long service as a journalist and as President Emeritus of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI).
“This was a senseless and cowardly act, and we strongly condemn it,” Marbil added.
He said the PNP is coordinating closely with the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) and other investigative bodies to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
Marbil noted that regional police units and specialized investigative teams, including the PNP Media Vanguards—officers trained to work with media professionals—have been mobilized to fast-track the investigation and enhance journalist protection nationwide.
Initial reports from the Kalibo Municipal Police Station indicate that Dayang, 89, was shot by an unidentified gunman inside his home around 8 p.m. Tuesday. He was rushed to the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said investigators are currently retracing the suspects’ movements and are considering all possible motives, including politics and Dayang’s background in journalism.