The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) confirmed that News5 reporter Gary De Leon allegedly received a death threat in connection with his recent report on the Missing Sabungeros case.
According to NUJP, De Leon received the threat on October 27, 2025, shortly after he and his team tried to reach out to Julie Patidongan, also known as “Alyas Totoy,” and his legal counsel to obtain their side for a balanced report.
The NUJP has already reported the incident to the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) for appropriate action and protection measures.
The organization reiterated its call for authorities to ensure the safety of journalists and to hold accountable those behind threats and attacks against media workers.