Seven Filipinos have been recognized by the Philippine Roman Catholic Church as ‘new martyrs,’ whose deaths were considered acts of faith and devotion.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in a statement, said the list of the new martyrs was submitted to the Vatican’s Commission on New Martyrs-Witnesses of the Faith for the Jubilee Year 2025.
‘These individuals shed their blood between the year 2000 and the present because of violent opposition to the good brought by the Gospel,’ CBCP secretary general Msgr. Bernardo Pantin said.
The CBCP said among them was Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, a Claretian missionary abducted by Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan province in 2000, tortured for his faith, and killed after 44 days in captivity.
Four others, namely Junrey Barbante, Janine Arenas, Evangeline Aromin, and Riza Danie, were also included.
According to the CBCP, the four died in a bombing incident at Mindanao State University in Marawi City during a Sunday Mass on Dec. 3, 202,3, and were allegedly carried out by militants linked to the Islamic State group who targeted Catholics in the predominantly Muslim city.
Fr. Marcelito ‘Tito’ Paez of Nueva Ecija was also included in the list. Known for his lifelong advocacy for human rights, social justice, and the welfare of the poor and marginalized farmers, he was fatally shot on Dec. 4, 2017, after helping secure the release of a political prisoner from the provincial jail.
Another martyr identified was Alberto Pinagawa, a lay leader and Eucharistic minister, who was slain on Dec. 24, 2009, for opposing illegal logging and mining operations in Mindanao.
The list was submitted after Pope Francis in 2023 created a special commission to study the modern-day killings of Christians and identify those he calls ‘new martyrs’ of the 21st century.
The pope then entrusted the mission to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints’ Commission on New Martyrs-Witnesses of the Faith, tasked with compiling a global catalog of Christian witnesses.
The CBCP said the initiative seeks to ‘help Catholics rediscover and preserve the memory of faithful disciples whose lives continue to inspire holiness and hope in their local churches.’ /cb