Photographer shot dead in Cotabato

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - A photojournalist for a local newspaper was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in the southern Philippines yesterday, local police said today.

According to the police, Mario Maximo Sy, 53, was with his family when the lone suspect barged inside his home and shot him several times in Barangay (Village) West, General Santos City in Mindanao's South Cotabato province after 7 p.m. yesterday.

The victim, who worked as photographer for local tabloid Sapol, died while being rushed by family members to a local hospital, said police investigator Christopher Villamor.

Authorities said an investigation was now being conducted to ascertain if the killing was related to the victim being a photojournalist.

The Philippines has been ranked by international press watchdogs as one of the world's dangerous places for journalists. Since 1986, over a hundred Filipino journalists have been murdered.

The worst of such killings happened on Nov. 23, 2009 when more than 50 people, including at least 30 journalists, were kidnapped and killed by gunmen loyal to a prominent Muslim political clan in Maguindanao province, also in Mindanao.