COTABATO CITY, Philippines—The Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) on Monday condemned the killing of Fr. Fausto Tentorio, an Italian missionary of the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions in North Cotabato.
“For a fellow missionary who selflessly worked to help the Indigenous Peoples and the poor farmers of Arakan Valley in North Cotabato to die in such a manner, we are saddened by the fact that there are sectors in our society who are against our work to help bring about peace in Mindanao,” Fr. Lauro de Guia, OMI provincial superior said in a statement.
“We appeal to the peace-loving people to help in giving light to the death of Father Fausto and bring the perpetrators before the bar of justice,” De Guia said.
Fr. Tenorio is the second PIME missionary killed by assassin’s bullets in North Cotabato since 1986 when government militias shot dead Fr. Tulio Favali in Tulunan, North Cotabato.
Fr. Tenorio, 59, was preparing to board his vehicle inside the Arakan Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish compound when one of the two suspects wearing crash helmets shot him on Monday morning. He has been serving the parish for the past 25 years.