Spate Of Killings Continue In Philippines, Judge, Priest Killed

January 15, 2008 11:57 p.m. EST

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - Despite calls by local and international groups, the killings in the spate of killings in the Philippines continued with the killing of a priest in southern part of the country and a trial judge in central Philippines Tuesday and Monday respectively.

The latest victim was Catholic missionary Rey Roda of the Oblate of Marry Immaculate who was shot by unidentified armed men in Tawi-Tawi's South Ubian town in southern Philippines on Tuesday.

Roda, a missionary in the region for the past 10 years, was praying inside a chapel when a group of armed men arrived to abduct the priest. However, the priest fought with the men and he was shot.

The 50-year-old Roda, was an advocate of peace between different religions and groups in the troubled southern Philippines, and enjoys wide support among residents.

Father Jonathan Domingo, one of Roda's colleagues said, "His death was unthinkable. He helped a lot of people there, he had many scholars, mostly Muslims. He was very vocal about peace and development issues in the area, but he did not have enemies."

An estimated 26 priests have been victimized by violence under the Arroyo administration took power in 2001.

On Monday night, Judge Roberto Navidad of the Calbayog City Regional Trial Court in Samar province, central Philippines, also fell from an assassins bullets.

The Supreme Court of the Philippines condemned the killing saying Navidad was the 15h judge to have been killed since 1999 and the 14th under the Arroyo government.

"The entire Judiciary condemns the killing of Judge Navidad. I am urging the authorities to exert their best efforts for the immediate apprehension of those responsible for Judge Navidad's death," Chief Justice Reynato Puno said in a press statement.