CATHOLIC netizens are joining ongoing calls on social media for justice for slain priest Father Richmond Nilo, as they urged Church authorities in Pampanga to be more vocal in condemning the killing.
Netizens took to the internet posting photos and videos of the slain priest. Facebook user Michael Henson posted a tribute video by Fr. Jojo Mallari for the slain priest. The video had been shared for at least 109,367 times.
Henson also posted on Facebook a comment asking for the official statement of the Archdiocese on the said killing after at least four bishops have issued statements against the said atrocity.
Mostly young lay Kapampangans have also been posting videos and photos of the late priests from cites like Tindig Pilipinas.
It could be recalled that Nilo was about to say mass in San Pablo Chapel in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija on Sunday, June 10, when motorcycle-riding assailants shot him. He was killed in front of the chapel’s altar.
The Central Luzon police headed by PCSupt. Amador Corpus said suspect Adell Roll Milan was arrested around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday in Barangay Malapit, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija.
Corpus said further investigation revealed that Milan is allegedly a member of a gun-for-hire group and former drug surrenderer.
Nilo was the third priest killed in the country in the last six months.
His killing had prompted Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, a former head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, to call on President Rodrigo Duterte to stop the “verbal persecution” of priests, which Villegas said has emboldened attacks against the clergy.
The President responded by again criticizing the priests and the Catholic Church leaders.