Philippine Catholic bishops today condemned the "brutal and unconscionable" killing of an Irish priest by suspected Muslim rebels yesterday.
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Stressing that Father Rufus Halley (57) was an advocate of peace, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) also pressed authorities to relentlessly pursue the gunmen in the southern island of Mindanao.
"The brutal and unconscionable murder of Father Rufus Halley is a great tragedy," the CBCP said. "We strongly condemn his brutal murder in Lanao del Sur by still unidentified persons."
Fr Halley, who was from Waterford and a member of the Columban order, was gunned down in a botched kidnapping attempt as he drove his motorcycle back to his parish in Malabang town on Tuesday, the Filipino authorities said.
"We will press the proper authorities to follow any lead, pursue every angle that would lead to the apprehension of the murderers and their just punishment through the courts," the CBCP stressed.
It also emphasized that the Catholic Church did not pay ransoms for the kidnapping of its members, and that its work to help bring about peace in the south would not be deterred by these attacks.
"We have suffered enough because of the many crimes against innocent people of various professions and social classes, who have been kidnapped or killed by lawless persons or groups," the bishops said.
"We are appalled especially when the victims are those who are precisely working for peace," they said.
Fr Halley, who arrived in the Philippines in 1969 and had lived in Mindanao for 20 years, was a peace advocate who was loved by both Muslims and Christians in his parish, the CBCP said.
Authorities said they were seeking a son of a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in connection with the killing. The MILF, the country's main Muslim separatist group negotiating peace with Manila, has denied any involvement.
AFP