Gunman kills priest in southern Philippines

18-October-2011 -- EWTNews Feature

An Italian priest was shot and killed in his church's compound in the remote southern Philippines. The crime left the local bishop "shocked and speechless."
Fr. Fausto Tentorio, 59, was approaching his car when a gunman shot him several times. The shooting took place in North Cotabato province's mountainous Arakan township, the Associated Press reports.
The gunman ran from the scene of the shooting and fled to a nearby town on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice. Investigators have not identified suspects or possible motives.
Bishop Romulo dela Cruz of Kidapawan strongly denounced the killing and called on the police and the military to solve the crime quickly.
"This is a very sad incident ... this is very painful for us because all the while we thought Kidapawan is already a peaceful place," the bishop said, according to CBCP News.
The priest is a native of the town of Santa Maria Hoe in Italy's Lecco province. He belonged to the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions and worked with indigenous people for more than 30 years.
The priest's religious brother Fr. Giovanni Vettorello, who had worked with him for eight years, told Fides news agency that the killing "took everyone by surprise."
"We are not living a time of particular tension, as in the past. Of course, the missionary work always involves risks, but Fr. Tentorio had no enemies, neither did he ever say that he had received threats, nor had there been a striking episode to justify the crime. He was also a very shrewd and prudent person," he said.
"Fr. Tentorio was working in the apostolate among the tribals. But before embarking on a program or project, he tested the waters to understand possible difficulties thanks to the local staff."
However, PIME staff said that the priest received death threats from unknown groups or individuals. Two years ago, he postponed his return to the Philippines by two to three months because of these threats.
Chief Inspector Benjamin Rioflorido said that Fr. Tentorio had been a longtime parish priest, spoke the regional dialect fluently and had good ties with the people. He had been about to visit the provincial capital of Kidapawan City to attend a clergy meeting.
The slain priest worked to advance literacy and development among indigenous people.
He was the third PIME missionary since 1985 to be killed on the southern Mindanao Island, the homeland of minority Muslims, some of whom have taken up arms for independence from the Philippines.


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