The 56-year-old reporter for the People’s Brigada and officer of the Manilla Police District Press Corp, was shot dead outside a watch repair shop owned by his family in Manilla.
According to reports, the gunmen walked towards Balcoba and shot him in the head before fleeing on a waiting motorcycle. Balcoba was rushed to a local hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.
Balcoba was a veteran journalist, who had covered the local crime and police beat since the 1990s. According to IFJ figures, he is the second journalist to be killed this year, and the 42nd journalist killed under the out-going President Benigno Aquino’s six-year presidency. The NUJP said Aquino’s presidency has been the deadliest period for journalists in the Philippines’ history.