The journalist, who worked for local newspaper Bagting sa Katilingban and President of the Davao del Norte Press and Radio-TV Club (DNPRC), was killed after being shot three times in the chest and once in the arm outside his house on 18 August. He was immediately rushed to hospital following the attack, but died in hospital on August 19.

In an interview following Ybanez’s murder, Boy Conejes, Vice President of the DNPRC, said Ybanez had received death threats in 2012.