Called an SOB by Duterte, who was Davao City journalist Jun Pala?

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte called him "a rotten son of a bitch" who deserved to die.

But who is murdered journalist Jun Pala?

Pala, a broadcaster of Davao-based radio dxGO, was killed on September 6, 2003.

He was a known critic of the Davao City mayor more than a decade before Duterte gained national prominence and ran for president.

Duterte cited Pala when he told reporters on May 31 that most journalists who are murdered were corrupt.

"I don't want to demean his memory but he was a rotten son of a bitch. He deserved it. Eh, ganu'n eh," said Duterte.

"Of course, I know who killed him. Kasi binastos niya 'yung tao eh," he added.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen shot Pala, who suffered nine gunshot wounds, mostly on the chest and head.

He was pronounced dead on arrival when he was brought to the hospital. His two companions — his brother and his bodyguard-cousin — suffered minor injuries.

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) said Pala was a vocal critic of communist rebel groups and even served as a spokesperson for the anti-communist vigilante group Alsa Masa.

It added that Pala had been criticizing local and national political personalities including Duterte on his radio program "Isumbong Mo Kay Pala" before he was killed.

CMFR said Pala’s family refused to submit the broadcaster's body for an autopsy and police were unable to identify the slugs in his body.

The Davao City police released cartographic sketches of four possible suspects — the two motorcycle-riding gunmen and two lookouts.

Until now, no  suspects  have  been  identified and no witnesses have been found.

He was also served as Davao City councilor for one term.

According to the CMFR, "Pala’s family and the Davao police believe that Pala’s murder is linked to his critical commentaries against his political opponents in his show at dxGO."

Before his murder, several attempts had been made on Pala's life.

"Right after the second attempt to kill him on 29 April 2003, Pala claimed that Mayor Duterte was the most likely culprit. (The first attempt to kill him was on 14 June 2001.)" CMFR said.

Pala was 49 years old when he was killed in September 2003, five months after the second attempt on his life. He left behind a wife and two children. —NB/JST, GMA News