Tatay and Nanay profusely thanked him for his generosity. He ate with us before he left, and then stopped by Iya Vellit’s hut to see Gasa and Andres. He came out with a basketful of mangoes. That was the last time we would see him. A week later a gunman broke into the rectory and shot him in the face. The injuries were so great that his casket was closed for viewing. We never knew whether he was killed by the military or the rebels. The military was angry over his calls for justice, and the rebels were not happy with his insistence on non-violence. General Rogelio put all his efforts into frustrating the investigation. “The resources spent solving the murder could be put to better use,” was his excuse in radio interviews. Yet the priest had been a thorn in his side, and he did not hide his
