ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Murder of a researcher: “Justice for Kyle, justice for the truth”

Cagayan de Oro – “The story of Niruh Kyle Antatico is a symbolic case that will inspire many young people in the fight against corruption,” Jesuit Antonio Ledesma, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagayan de Oro, on the island of Mindanao, told Fides.
Niruh Kyle Antatico, 40, a former researcher for the National Irrigation Administration , was shot dead on October 10 in the city of Cagayan de Oro after denouncing alleged corruption in irrigation projects. His family, friends, and community bid him farewell on the evening of October 15 with a prayer vigil in the chapel of the Cagayan de Oro City Hall. His murder has sparked widespread outrage and reignited protests, with young demonstrators protesting against corruption at the local and national levels through numerous rallies.
“The local and national press is reporting on this case, and the Philippine bishops have also expressed their sorrow and reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to being at the forefront of this moral and spiritual emergency,” Archbishop Ledesma continues. “The issue of corruption is a long-standing plague in the Philippines, but now—with the scandal surrounding the funded but never realized natural disaster prevention projects and the numerous victims of extreme weather events—the issue is at the top of the political agenda. We hope that, in light of the mobilization of young people, politicians will provide answers,” he notes. “Hope lies in our young people. Niruh Kyle Antatico can become a true role model for them: a courageous man who wanted and was able to speak the truth. We hope that civil society will always be ready and that the public will draw attention to this issue, which is so vital to national life,” Archbishop Ledesma expresses. The murder of Niruh Kyle Antatico “is not just an attack on one person,” but also “an attack on all those who have the courage to hold those in power accountable and fight against corruption,” said Bishop Colin M. Bagaforo, President of Caritas Philippines and Bishop of Kidapawan. Antatico’s death, he added, “reflects a dangerous climate of impunity that threatens those who speak out.” “When those who speak the truth are silenced and no one is held accountable, a culture of impunity thrives,” he said. “This sends a chilling message: speaking the truth to power is dangerous, and those in power can act with impunity. This is not just a tragedy, but a moral crisis that demands intervention,” he continued. For this reason, representatives of the Catholic Church in Cagayan de Oro and civil society groups called on the NIA, the Department of Justice, and the police to ensure that the perpetrators and the “corrupt networks exposed by Antatico” are brought to justice. “May his life awaken in us a renewed commitment to walk in the light of truth and serve the common good,” Archbishop Jose Cabantan of Cagayan de Oro said in an official statement, calling, together with all the local faithful, for “justice for Kyle, justice for the truth.”

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