Cotabato City—Christian and Muslim residents mourn the death of three Catholic priests who had spent most of their missionary life in Central Mindanao.
Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, Jr. of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) died Sunday afternoon, days after he told his followers on social media that he would take a two-week respite from their online dialogue.
It was not immediately known whether Mercado was infected with the coronavirus disease, but two other Catholic missionaries reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 before they died within hours of each other on Friday and early Saturday.
Reports from the Catholic-run dxMS of the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corp. said the ashes of the two diocesan priests who tested positive for SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are now at the archdiocesan mausoleum inside the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral Parish Compound here.
The administration of OMI Novitiate Retreat House in Maguindanao, where Mercado had lived, informed City Mayor Cynthia Guiani Sayadi of his death.
The lady mayor said: “It pains me upon learning that Father Eliseo Mercado is now in the hands of the Lord… He was like a father to me. We treated him like a member of the family. He was one fearless person who would tell his opinions no matter what it takes.”
“The past few days really made us sad. First, it was Father Loret Sanoy. His sister, Judith, was my nurse for so many years before she went abroad. Just few hours after, it was Father Rex Bacero, who was also a friend to me. His brother was my classmate. Inna lillahi wa inna lillahi Rajioon (from God we are from, unto Him we shall all return) Please stay safe Cotabateños…” Guiani Sayadi added.
Father Loreto “Loret” Sanoy DCC died Friday night at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center here. He was the parochial vicar of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish at the time of his death.
Father Rex Bacero, concurrent president of Notre Dame of Salaman College in Lebak town and Notre Dame of Kalamansig, both in Sultan Kudarat Province, also died at the CRMC early Saturday morning.
Mercado distinguished himself in the religious community as a human rights activist and advocate for peace and of political reforms. He studied Theology and Missiology at the Gregorian University in Rome and at Pontifical Institute Center for Religious Studies in University of Cairo, Egypt.