An International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) team is visiting the Philippines to investigate the ongoing murders of radio and other reporters.

The mission, led by delegates from Australia and Indonesia, is meeting the families of murdered journalists, police investigators looking into the cases and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

The group has been visiting the cities of General Santos, Iloilo, Legazpi and Manila before presenting their preliminary results.

An IFJ report says the murder of 13 Filipino journalists in 2004 (up from three in 2003) makes the country one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists to operate.

It says the killings have created a crisis for radio and other media in the Philippines, tarnishing the country’s democratic credentials.

The Brussels based lobby group says 55 journalists have been killed since democracy was restored in 1986 and not one person has been convicted.

The Government has said the IFJ’s report is misleading and insists it is cracking down on the attacks against journalists.

The IFJ is the world’s largest organisation of journalists, with more than 500 000 members. The Filipino union is affiliated to it.