Indonesian Catholic priest shot dead in northern Philippines

Apr 2, 2007, 3:35 GMT

Manila - An Indonesian Catholic priest was shot dead shortly after celebrating mass in a remote northern Philippine village, police said Monday.

The 31-year-old priest, Francisco Madhu, was shot in front of the church in Mabungtot village in Lubuagan town, Kalinga province, 300 kilometres north of Manila, on Sunday.

Madhu had just celebrated Palm Sunday mass when he was gunned down in front of shocked parishioners, according to Chief Superintendent Raul Gonzales, a regional police director.

Gonzales said initial investigation showed that the priest had an argument with four men, one of whom shot him using an M-16 rifle.

'Our initial investigation showed the victim and his assailants had a verbal spat before he was killed,' he said in a radio interview. 'The perpetrators are toughies in the area.'

Madhu was declared dead on arrival in the town's district hospital.

Gonzales could not immediately confirm reports that the gunman, identified as Nestor Waylan, was arrested before dawn Monday.

He said he was still waiting for word from police investigators who have not yet returned from Mabungtot, which is a two-hour walk from the town proper and has no mobile phone service.