Foreign governments have warned the public against the "chilling effect" that the killing of hard-hitting journalist Percy Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid, may create.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the embassies of Canada and the Netherlands, which co-chair the Media Freedom Coalition in the Philippines, expressed "grave concern" over what happened to Lapid, who was ambushed near his home in Las Piñas City on Monday night.

The two countries said that "journalist killings strike at the very core of media freedom and can create a chilling effect that curtails the ability of journalists to report news freely and safely."

"Such attacks on media workers must be urgently investigated, and those responsible must be held to account," they said.

The French government, through the French Embassy in Manila, also supported their statements and said it "reaffirms its resolute, unwavering commitment to the freedom of the press, freedom of speech and protection of journalists."

The delegation of the European Union, which is composed of 27 member states, and the United Kingdom, through their embassies in Manila, also followed suit.

As co-chairs of the Media Freedom Coalition, a global diplomatic network of 52 countries that defend media freedom, the governments of Canada and the Netherlands called on the authorities to take "concrete steps" to ensure that perpetrators of the killing are brought to justice.

They also urged the Philippine government under Marcos administration to create "a safe environment for journalists to carry out their work without fear for their lives and safety."

"We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and loves ones he left behind," they said.