A Catholic priest was killed in a shooting incident in Nueva Ecija on Monday night, police said Tuesday,

In a report, the Philippine National Police's regional office identified the victim as Father Marcelito Paez, 72, a resident of Baloc, Sto. Domingo town.

The police said Paez was driving his vehicle when he was shot by unidentified suspects in the vicinity of Sitio Sanggalan, Brgy. Lambakin, Jaen around 7:30 pm.

Paez was on his way to Jaen-Zaragoza Road when the shooting incident happened.

“The victim was rushed by the responding personnel at Gonzales General Hospital San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija for medical treatment,” the police report noted. Paez passed away while being treated.

In an article posted at CBCP News, Paez is a former parish priest in Guimba town and the coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines in Central Luzon.

“In the 1980s, he was also a leader of the Central Luzon Alliance for a Sovereign Philippines, which campaigned for the removal of the US military bases in Central Luzon and other parts of the country,” it said.

“He was also known to lead church service for communities and victims of human rights violations in Nueva Ecija and Central Luzon,” it added.

The article also mentioned that “earlier in the day, Paez assisted in facilitating the release of political prisoner Rommel Tucay who was detained at a hail in Cabanatuan City.” Robina Asido/DMS