Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete on Friday appealed to the faithful to offer prayers for a priest and a few others who were kidnapped by suspected terrorists of the Maute Group in Marawi early this week.
Bishop Cortes, during a homily at mass today in celebration of Fr. Geremvit Truno’s 25th sacerdotal anniversary, said to “offer our prayers for the people of Marawi, and the rest of beleaguered Mindanao. Let us keep them in our minds and hearts these coming days as they struggle with uncertainty and fear in their lives”, he said.
The Dumaguete prelate also called for unity as President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law in the entire Mindanao region for 60 days.
Cortes disclosed in an interview later that Bishop Edwin Dela Peña of the prelature of Marawi is his cousin and that they had spoken on the phone after Fr. Chito Suganob and some of his parishioners were abducted by terrorists in the Marawi siege.
He said Dela Peña told him that he was on his way to the church where Fr. Chito was assigned, the Mary Help of Christians Church , for the fiesta scheduled the day after the siege had started.
But Fr. Chito had briefed him over the phone regarding the terrorist’s arrival in Marawi City and told him not to come anymore, said Cortes.
It was only later that Bishop Dela Peña learned that the Catholic Church in Marawi City was burned down by the terrorists and Fr. Chito and about ten others were taken hostage, Cortes added.
With President Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao, Bishop Cortes also called for unity and prayers during these trying times.
“We cannot afford to be divided at this time. I believe that our President needs our support but at the same time, we have to be vigilant that rights are not unnecessarily violated”, Cortes stressed.
“What we need to do is to entrust our lives to the Lord and at the same time, take precautionary measures regarding security around our homes and our communities”, he said.
“Let us cooperate with government instrumentalities in their efforts to ensure peace and order and in combatting terrorist threats,” Bishop Cortes said.
The Dumaguete Bishop encouraged everyone to “pray for the safety of the hostages, for the guidance of our President, the protection of our soldiers, and the conversion of hearts of those in the rebel forces”.
He also underscored the need for prayers that peace will once again reign in Marawi and that all should be guided by Pope John Paul II’s four pillars of peace, namely, truth, justice, love and freedom.
Unless those four are met, how can there be peace?, Cortes asked. (Judy Flores-Partlow)
