Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged Philippine authorities to ensure full transparency in the killing of journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma, citing conflicting accounts from the military and his colleagues.
The call comes as the Commission on Human Rights conducts an independent investigation into Ledesma’s death, amid unresolved questions over whether he was killed in combat or while reporting.
Ledesma, 30, editor of the online outlet Paghimutad-Negros and regional coordinator for Negros Island of the independent media network Altermidya, was among 19 people killed during a military assault on a Communist Party armed group on April 19 in Negros Occidental in the central Philippines.
According to RSF, Ledesma’s colleagues maintain that he was not at the site of the clash but was reporting in a nearby peasant community about the expansion of solar and wind energy projects at the time of his death.
A military spokesperson denied Ledesma’s status as a journalist, claiming that all those killed were members of an armed group. Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said Ledesma was “among those who engaged in gunfights with our soldiers, according to firsthand testimonies from our troops.”
The communist-led New People’s Army, in a statement issued on April 27, identified Ledesma as a journalist and did not include him among its members killed in the clash.
RSF said the conflicting narratives underscore the need for an independent and transparent investigation.
“Contradictory accounts from the military and the journalist’s colleagues call for the utmost caution. Given the Philippine military’s long record of attacks on and criminalization of journalists, who are often accused of belonging to armed groups without any evidence, it is reasonable to think that RJ Nichole Ledesma was killed because of his work,” said Cédric Alviani, director of RSF Asia-Pacific.
“We therefore call on the authorities, especially the military, to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation to establish the facts,” he added.
Altermidya Network has also questioned the military’s account, raising concerns that evidence may have been planted. Avon Ang, national coordinator of the network, said the military “claims are questionable.”
“If you look at the photos, it really looks like the bandolier, ammo pouch, and gun were just put on. And some of the items presented as RJ Nichole Ledesma’s belongings, like the boots, were very clean,” she added.
RSF noted that journalists in the Philippines are frequently subjected to “red-tagging,” a practice in which authorities label media workers as subversives or terrorists without evidence.
The watchdog also pointed to previous cases where journalists were allegedly framed, including that of Frenchie Mae Cumpio, who has been detained for six years over charges linked to evidence that RSF said was likely planted.
Ledesma primarily reported on environmental issues and human rights violations. His last article, published in March, focused on fishermen opposing reclamation projects that they said would damage coastal ecosystems and threaten their livelihoods.
RSF cited the report of Altermidsya that Paghimutad-Negros has long been the target of smear campaigns, including a 2022 incident in which a Philippine army brigade accused the outlet of being linked to a communist group, a claim that was widely circulated across police and military networks.
The Philippines remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, with at least 148 media workers killed since the restoration of democracy in 1986. In 2026, the country ranked 114th out of 180 in the RSF World Press Freedom Index.
