MANILA, Dec. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- A Filipino radio man was shot dead Thursday night by an unidentified gunman in Talisay City in central Philippines, according to local media reports.

    This is the 10th journalist killed so far this year in the Philippines, a country regarded by some international journalists' associations as one of the most dangerous countries for practicing journalism.

    Radio reporter George Benaojan, 27, was killed by an unidentified gunman in front of a store in a central market. Benaojan was a radio reporter for radio station DYBB Bantay Radyo based in Talisay near Cebu City.

    Initial reports said the gunman shot the victim in the mouth, chest and neck. He died after being rushed to hospital midnight.

    The motive for the killing is still unknown, but most of killings of journalists in the Philippines were believed to be retaliation for criticism on politicians, military and police by journalists.

    While some 70 cases of murder of journalists were reported since 1986, only few of them have been solved and few perpetrators of the killings punished. Enditem