Juan Pala

Juan Pajadora Pala Jr. (July 17, 1954 – September 6, 2003), popularly known as Jun Porras Pala or simply Jun Pala, was a Filipino journalist, columnist and pundit known for being the spokesperson of the Alsa Masa vigilante group in Davao City. He was killed in September 2003.

Life and career Pala was born on July 17, 1954 in Davao City. He spent his early years at Igpit and Tres de Mayo in Digos, Davao del Sur and studied at the Holy Cross of Digos.

Pala's professional career was first established when he became the main spokesperson for the Alsa Masa, an anti-communist vigilante group based in Davao City, in 1987. Alsa Masa was known for hunting down and killing members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and alleged corrupt politicians, and has also been blamed for human rights violations. He also hosted a public service radio program named Isumbong Mo Kay Pala (Complain to Pala) on DXGO-AM radio station in Davao City.

In the 1988 local elections, he ran for mayor of Davao City as an independent candidate, finishing third behind former OIC vice mayor Rodrigo Duterte and former OIC mayor Zafiro Respicio. In 1995, Pala leveraged his popularity to run for congressman of the city's second district, but he was defeated by then-congressman Manuel Garcia. Three years later, he ran and won a seat in the Davao City Council. He supported then-reelectionist mayor Benjamin de Guzman against the comebacking Duterte in the 2001 elections, but de Guzman lost the mayoral race to Duterte. Nelly Castillo, one of Pala's colleagues, revealed that he admitted that he extorted money from politicians, businessmen and even his friends. However, according to Castillo, Pala's courage in exposing his own corrupt acts made him popular to his listeners.

Death On the evening of September 6, 2003, Pala was walking home from work along Davao Empress Subdivision in Panacan, Davao City when a riding-in-tandem fatally shot him in the chest four times.