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COTABATO CITY: The remains of slain Catholic priest Jesus Rey Roda,
55, will be laid to rest on a burial ground intended for members of
the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), reported the Philippine News
Agency.
On Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI paid homage to
the slain priest, praising his “courage and faith,” reported
Agence France Press, quoting a Radio Vatican broadcast.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church sent his
condolences in a telegram signed by Vatican Secretary of State
Tarcisio Bertone, the radio reported.
Condemning the brutality of the killing,
Benedict called on the perpetrators to “renounce violence” and
contribute to “the building of a fair and peaceful society in
which everyone can live together in harmony.”
Roda belonged to one of Cotabato City’s
pioneer Catholic families.
The burial ceremony for the slain missionary is
set on Wednesday at the Grotto of the Blessed Mary Immaculate, a
natural park-cum-praying abode of the OMI congregation situated in
Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan province.
On January 15, ten armed men barged in and
dragged the clergyman from his chapel in Tabawan, Tawi-Tawi, in an
attempted kidnapping but the latter resisted, leading to his being
shot.
The priest opted to die in the chapel rather
than go with his would-be abductors.
Failing to get their prospect alive, the armed
band instead successively snatched a teacher and a fisherman during
their escape.
The ARMM police said they are closely looking
into information that one of the supposed takers of the priest was a
former policeman.
The identity of the ex-cop was withheld pending
ongoing military and police manhunt operations in the area.
-- With AFP
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