Malacañang vows to fast-track investigations as another priest killed
By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
MALACAÑANG ON Monday denounced the murder of another Catholic priest in Nueva Ecija early evening Sunday, June 10, and promised to prioritize the investigation of the recent killings of religious leaders under the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
“Another priest, Fr. Richmond V. Nilo of the Cabanatuan diocese, was shot dead by unidentified persons while celebrating mass around 5:00 p.m., Sunday, inside a chapel in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija,” the media office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines reported on Sunday evening.
Other Catholic priests recently murdered were Marcelito Paez, who was killed in December last year by still unidentified gunmen in Jaen, another town in Nueva Ecija, and Mark Ventura, who was shot to death on the outskirts of Gattaran town in Cagayan last April 29.
In a press briefing at the Palace on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said the administration “condemns” the latest incident, which is an attack not just on the right to live but to religious freedom.
“Kinokondena po natin iyang pagpatay dito sa pari na taga Nueva Ecija. Talaga pong bibigyan natin ng prayoridad ang pag-iimbestiga nang pagkapatay kay Father at nababahala po ang gobyerno dahil gaya ng pagpatay sa isang mamamahayag, kapag pinatay mo ang isang pari eh nilalabag mo hindi lang ang karapatang mabuhay kung hindi iyong karapatan din ng malayang pananampalataya,” he said.
“Titingnan kung kakailanganin ng bagong task force (We will assess if there is a need to form a new special task force),” he added.
Mr. Roque also promised that he himself, in his capacity as Presidential Adviser on Human Rights, will monitor the development of the investigation.
Police Regional Office 3 director Chief Supt. Amador V. Corpus, in a statement on Monday, narrated that Fr. Nilo was “shot to death by still unidentified suspects while he was about to celebrate a 6:00 p.m. mass at the Chapel of Mayamot village.”
Mr. Corpus said, he has already ordered his “men to conduct a thorough investigation for the possible identification and apprehension of suspects the soonest possible time.”
“Special Investigation Task Group ‘Nilo’ is already created headed by the Deputy Provincial Director of Nueva Ecija and is now working on more evidence to establish the possible motive of the killing,” he added.
The police official also appealed to the general public to help the Philippine National Police (PNP) in identifying the suspects.
“If you have any information relative to the said incident that will lead to the quick resolution of this case, please report to the nearest station or through the PNP hot line: 09985985330/0927946471,” Mr. Corpus said.
For his part, Ifugao Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat, Jr. said, “Just like the killings of the poor in the ongoing drug war, killings of journalists and indigenous people’s leaders, no one has been brought to justice.”
“This tyranny and impunity have led the President to warn that lawlessness is taking over the country and yet he has also repeatedly declared his vow to bring peace and order to the Philippines. I sincerely hope that he will make good on his words and bring justice to victims like Fr. Nilo,” the lawmaker also said.
