A veteran broadcaster was reportedly assaulted outside the DYRI Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) Iloilo station.

In a statement on Friday, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) - Iloilo said radio-block time host Florencio ‘Flo’ Hervias was attacked by four men who were wearing hoodies and pretended to be garbage collectors.

It happened when Hervias was heading outside the building after his radio program “Banwa Binag-binaga” ended. The NUJP said the men waited for him to exit the building's premises to beat him up.

The veteran broadcaster suffered injuries in his mouth and near his eyes.

The group condemned the attack against the broadcaster as this happened three days after radio commentator Percival Mabasa or also known as Percy Lapid was murdered.

“The daylight attack against Hervias, right in front of the radio station, shows how assaults against Filipino media workers have become more brazen,“ the NUJP said.

“We call on the Philippine National Police to act on its assurance of protecting journalists and upholding the freedom of the press by swiftly and decisively apprehending the assailants and all others involved and filing the appropriate charges,“ it added.

The organization also called on fellow journalists and media practitioners to defend press freedom and stand by their sworn duty to hold those in power accountable.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares called for an independent investigation.

“Like lawyers, media should not be attacked for the exercise of their profession,“ he said in a statement shared on his Twitter account.

“Kung may problema sila sa amin, dalhin nila sa korte. The country is now the "wild, wild West" of Asia for brazen attacks against media, lawyers, activists, and even ordinary citizens who only disagree with government policies,“ he added.