MANILA – Malacañang assured Wednesday that the killers of Roman Catholic priests Mark Ventura, Tito Paez and Richmond Nilo will be brought to justice.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to “stop the verbal persecution of the Catholic Church.”
Duterte’s strongly worded attacks on the Catholic Church “can unwittingly embolden more crimes against priests,” said Villegas.
The government and the Philippine National Police have begun investigating the priests’ killings, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.
“The PNP shall also be working closely with the Church, especially the hierarchy and the clergy, on measures to protect our priests,” he said in a statement.
In addition, Duterte ordered intensified crime fighting efforts to improve the peace and order situation, said Roque.
“In this nationwide drive, lawless elements will seek to block our efforts by sowing division and creating animosity, even exploiting crimes like the killings of priests,” he said.
“We must stand united against these purveyors of crime and together advance the peace and security of the nation and the Church,” he added./PN
