Fr. Eliseo Mercado Jr., Mindanao peace advocate, dies at 73

Mindanao-based Fr. Eliseo Mercado Jr., government peace panel chairman for the GRP-MILF peace talks, has passed away. He was 73.

According to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) of the Philippines, Mercado died on Sunday, 3:25p.m., at the Cotabato Regional Medical Center (CRMC) due to cardiac arrest.

“On May 23, his heart stopped due to heart attack,” the OMI statement read.

After administering CPR several times, his body “finally gave up and was not responding anymore to any of the medical intervention being given to him.”

Mercado was admitted to the CRMC last May 8 and had tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). His RT-PCR test came back negative on May 22.

According to the statement, Mercado was given the Sinovac vaccine last month.

Mercado is the senior policy adviser of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG).

Apart from previously serving as the president of the Notre Dame University in Cotabato City, he had also been an active advocate for peace in Mindanao. — DVM, GMA News