A top police official has been sacked for trying to kill a crusading radio journalist in the northern Philippines, who had criticised him on air.

Senior Superintendent Mario Subagan has been removed as commander in the northern province of Iloco Sur to ‘pave the way for an impartial investigation into the shooting’ of Nestro Seguismundo.

Seguismundo works for the DZXE radio station in Ilocos and is known for criticising public officials on the air.

Unknown gunmen shot him in the stomach, but he survived.

Seguismundo had openly called for the resignation of Subagan as Ilocos police chief, citing his alleged inability to stop rampant criminality, including high profile killings and drug abuse.

He had also recently finished reporting about the sale of an overpriced piece of property as well as the continued proliferation of an illegal numbers game in the province, called jueteng.

International groups say the Philippines is the second deadliest country for journalists. So far, three have been gunned down this year, while 13 were murdered in 2004.

Since democracy was restored in 1986 after the downfall of dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, 66 journalists have been killed. None of the cases has been solved.