DAVAO CITY, Philippines – On the 14th death anniversary of martyr missionary Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio, PIME last October 17, his scholars and Lumad school advocates are continuing his legacy of defending the rights of the indigenous peoples in Mindanao.
Tentorio served in the communities of Sultan Kudarat and Arakan for three decades before he was shot dead inside his church compound in Arakan, North Cotabato in 2011.
The Save Our Schools Network (SOS) in a statement on his death anniversary remembered Tentorio’s role in empowering the young generation of Lumad through education.
“(H)e helped establish 80 daycare centers in remote areas, launched literacy and numeracy programs, and created a scholarship program supporting 3,000 students—setting a precedent for the establishment of Lumad schools throughout Mindanao,” the group said.
Tentorio’s dedication to help the children Lumad and farmer have inspired his scholars “to become full-time organizers and activists, stepping into the frontlines of the people’s movement,” they added.
The dedication has been challenging, as they see the same conditions of impunity that cost Tentorio’s life also attacked their communities and their schools which were shut down during the Duterte presidency.
“Fourteen years later, justice remains elusive. The paramilitaries who killed him, backed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, still roam free. Lumad and peasant communities continue to face intense militarization (hamletting, forced surrenders, etc.), red-tagging, trumped-up charges against Lumad leaders and students, and other human rights violations. The schools and scholarships for the Lumad continued after his death, but the government and the military have labeled them ‘communist schools’ and forced the closure of 216 Lumad schools under its sham counterinsurgency campaign,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the search for justice for Tentorio has been frustrating for its slow pace, said fellow PIME missionary Fr. Peter Gerema.
The last update he gave was last February 2024, where he said only one of the seven accused of his murder was arrested ten years after the priest’s murder, yet the suspect died in jail.
The accused, Ricardo ‘Nene’ Dorado, faced trial in 2022 while detained in Kidapawan City Jail. He was hospitalized on December 23, 2023 and died two days later.
Geremia lambasted the slow process of the investigation and the trial as the accused, who are allegedly paramilitary members, are still around the Lumad communities.
The aging priest said two PIME missionaries had been martyred in North Cotabato. Fr. Tulio Favali was murdered by the paramilitary group Ilaga in 1985. The perpetrators were pardoned after 23 years in prison and its leader sought forgiveness from the PIME.
“In both cases, the masterminds are still hiding under the cover of impunity. However, the trials for the killings of the two priests have become a warning to all those involved in the killings of church people who risk serving the poor, as well as the countless defenseless poor, tribal members, and farmers,” Geremia said.
The SOS said they will continue the legacy of Tentorio’s work and advocacy, as they see continuing support coming in to provide education to the Lumad and peasant youth.
“The youth will continue the fight for ancestral land and environmental defense with the same courage and conviction he instilled in them,” the group said. (davaotoday.com)
