MANILA, Philippines, Nov 7, (Agencies): The US Embassy in Manila has expressed its strong condemnation of the killing of radio broadcaster Juan “DJ Johnny Walker” Jumalon, an incident that was shockingly captured on Facebook Live.

US Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, joined the chorus of international diplomats in Manila who have already denounced the brazen murder. In her statement on Tuesday, Carlson conveyed her deepest sympathies to Jumalon's family and friends during this time of profound sorrow.

In a separate post, the embassy commended the government's prompt response to investigate the broadcaster's killing. The embassy stressed the critical role of journalism as a fundamental pillar of a free society and noted that attacks on journalists jeopardize this freedom.

The tragic event occurred on Sunday while Jumalon was hosting his radio program in Misamis Occidental, and the incident was streamed live on Facebook.

Various diplomats in Manila, including those from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Czech Republic, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the European Union, have already voiced their condemnation of the killing.

The Media Freedom Coalition, a global network comprising 52 countries committed to defending media freedom, called for a swift and transparent investigation to prevent the chilling effect that such violence can have on journalists' ability to report news freely and safely.

Furthermore, the coalition encouraged the Philippine government to take additional measures to establish a secure environment for journalists to carry out their work without fear for their lives and safety while addressing impunity for crimes against them.