Today, December 4, marks the anniversary of the death of Fr. Marcelito “Tito” Paez, an activist priest shot nine times and murdered at the height of the Duterte Administration’s onslaught of extrajudicial killings.

Prior to his death, the late priest was known for his extraordinary service and compassion to the marginalized, particularly among the farmers and the toiling masses of Nueva Ecija. Likewise, he had also been directly involved in the emancipation of a political prisoner. Further, on the day of his killing, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) was formally established, further fueling terror and silencing dissent among activists and human rights defenders.

And now, over six years since his death, justice is still yet to be achieved along with hundreds of other politically motivated murders at the hands of Duterte’s regime. As we commemorate the life of Fr. Paez, may we be reminded of our call to action to stop the unjust killings of hundreds of activists and civilians and to seek justice for the likes of such people. Especially now under yet another Marcos Administration, may we continually renounce the violence against the masses and lunge towards a movement fighting for the rights and the cries of every Filipino citizen.

Caption by Jennell Lee Jr.

Layout by Hedy Pico