Benefredo Acabal

Acabal, 34, was shot several times at close range by an unidentified gunman in Pasig City in the Manila metropolitan area, according to local and international news reports. The gunman fled the scene on a motorcycle, those reports said. Acabal died from his wounds on the way to the hospital.

Acabal wrote a column for the local newspaper The Filipino Newsmen in Cavite province, south of Manila. The Philippine Star reported that he was also involved in the trucking business. Local police were investigating to determine whether the killing was linked to his reporting or his business interests.