The two Catholic bishops of Bohol have expressed alarm over the series of killings in the province particularly in the northern town of Ubay.
Bishop Patrick Daniel Parcon of Talibon and Bishop Alberto Uy of Tagbilaran, in a joint statement, said these incidents are unacceptable and must be condemned.
“We … call on the faithful … to be united in condemning this shameful sin and crime of killing a person,” read part of the statement.
At least three cases of killings were reported in Ubay in the past two weeks this month alone.
On April 3, a retired cop was shot dead in the village of Calanggaman. On April 14, a 60-year-old man was gunned down in the village of Los Angeles in the same town.
In the town’s San Pascual village, a gasoline station security guard was shot dead in a robbery on April 17. Three suspects have already been arrested by local police.
Investigation is also ongoing over the killing of a cockpit referee in Tipolo village by still unidentified assailants on March 19.
The bishops enjoined the people to pray for an end to the killings and for peace to reign in their communities.