A broadcast journalist died Saturday after he was shot by unidentified gunmen on a national highway in northern Luzon Friday night, the police said,

Mario Contaoi, 52, died in a private hospital early Saturday, where he received treatment, after he was shot by several gunmen on motorcycle — while he was on a motorbike on the national highway of San Ramon village, Magsingal municipality, Ilocos Sur at 10:30 Friday night, said the Philippine National Police in a report that reached the PNP headquarters in suburban Quezon City late Saturday.

He sustained six gunshot wounds, the report said, adding that six empty cartridges of a .45 calibre-pistol were recovered from the crime scene.

Cantoi was the 196th journalist killed since 1986, after the ouster of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos whose 20-year rule that began in 1965, was marred by political killings.

Witnesses rushed Cantaoi initially to the Ilocos Sur District Hospital-Magsingal. He was later transferred to a private hospital where he died.

The motive of his killers is being investigated, the report said.

He was a radio reporter of DZNS of Vigan City and a professor of the University of Northern Mindanao.

In 2015, the Middle East topped the list of the most deadly countries for journalists, followed by Iraq, Syria, and the Philippines, the Unesco said, adding then that one journalist is killed every week on average worldwide.

source: GULF NEWS