Manila  - A Filipino broadcast journalist was shot dead in the eastern Philippines in the seventh deadly attack against media in the country this year, police said Wednesday.

Leo Mina was shot in front of the local radio station in San Roque town in Northern Samar province, 585 kilometres south-east of Manila, on Tuesday evening.

Regional police direction Abner Cabalquinto said Mina had just exited the station when unidentified gunmen opened fire at him.

He said police were looking into the possibility that communist rebels could be behind the murder, noting that Mina was very vocal against the guerrillas' extortion activities in the province.

Mina was the seventh journalist to be killed in the Philippines in 2008. Last year, four journalists were killed, while 13 were killed in 2006. Most of the killings remain unresolved. (dpa)