by Santosh Digal

Armando Corio, a born-again Christian, was stabbed in the head and the chest in church. Police are looking for Rizalde Cordero who on the night of the murder was seen fleeing the place of the crime with a knife in his hand.

Manila (AsiaNews) – A Pentecostal pastor was killed inside a church in Massin town in Iloilo province, southern Philippines, on the night of 18 March, according to police reports. No clear motive has been given.

Armando Corio, a born-again Christian, died in hospital from wounds to the head and the chest. Eyewitnesses said that the murder could have been committed by Rizalde Cordero who was seen fleeing the church with a knife in the night of 18 March.

Police are still looking for him.

The situation for men and women religious in southern Philippines remains critical. Both Catholics and Protestant are increasingly targeted by extremists and common bandits who kill for ideological reasons or simple desire for money.

Several cases of Protestant clergymen killed a few years ago still remain unsolved.

• philippines
• massin
• iloilo
• province
• south
• pentecostal
• pastor
• armando
• corio
• rizalde
• cordero