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Filipino priest raises alarm over murder spree

At least nine killings have been committed by men on motorcycles in a Manila parish in the last four weeks
Filipino priest raises alarm over murder spree

Father Robert Reyes of San Isidro Labrador Parish in Quezon City displayed a plea in his church. (Photo supplied)

Published: August 20, 2020 09:45 AM GMT
Updated: August 20, 2020 10:11 AM GMT

A Catholic priest in Manila has called on police to hunt down gunmen responsible for a string of murders in the last month that have terrorized his parishioners and left them living in fear.

At least nine murders have been committed by men on motorcycles in the last four weeks, Father Robert Reyes of San Isidro Labrador Parish in Quezon City told UCA News on Aug. 20.

Father Reyes said he has met with the city police chief and the district station chief about the brazen killings, which he said were tantamount to public executions.

Prior to the meeting, he said he had written to authorities on Aug. 12 appealing for something to be done.  

“The last four weeks have been distressing and have definitely created a climate of uncertainty and fear,” he said, adding that the assassins’ faces were covered and one of the victims included a district counselor.

Father Reyes said communities where the killings had happened were affected by the crimes “openly committed in full view” in the presence of neighbors and passersby.

“I said Masses and presided over the funeral services of the last three victims. I had to deal with the painful mixture of emotions of the families of the EJK [extrajudicial killing] victims ... grief, anger, fear and confusion. After the last EJK victim on July 1, I prayed and begged God that the killing will end,” Father Reyes said.

The priest also told UCA News that a day before he sent the letter to government authorities another killing took place near his church.

“With a heavy heart, I lit eight candles and with it added a message: STOP THE KILLINGS NOW,” Father Reyes told UCA News.

The candles are brought to the altar before a final blessing in Father Reyes’ daily Mass so that churchgoers can pray for victims and their families.

Father Reyes said churchgoers were silent due to trauma and fear for their lives.

“Parishioners and residents [of Barangay Pinyahan] are quiet but they are definitely affected by the killings. We cannot just allow the killings. We cannot allow the violence, cruelty, inhumanity and injustice to continue. We cannot tolerate the endless spate of unresolved crimes, committed with clear and determined intent and sadly done with brazen impunity,” he said.

On Aug. 18, Father Reyes presented “possible responses” to cushion the effect of extrajudicial killings in his parish. One of them is to track the progress of investigations.

Government figures reveal 4,948 suspected drug users and dealers died due to police operations from July 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2018. The figures do not include 22,983 murders committed by unidentified gunmen.

Father Reyes has faced multiple criminal charges for campaigning against extrajudicial killings and helping families of victims.

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