Magsaysay awardee priest gave 'voice to the voiceless' — CBCP

Filipino bishops issued a congratulatory note to a priest, who worked with victims of Extrajudicial Killings and their families, for being named an awardee by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF).

Fr. Flaviano Antonio 'Flavie' Villanueva was described by the RMAF a “breed of socially committed clergy” that has restored “dignity to thousands of poor and homeless in Metropolitan Manila.”

He was the founder of the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center in 2015, as well as for his efforts to locate the bodies of victims of the government's “war on drugs.” 

"This recognition is not only a tribute to Fr. Flavie's person but also to the prophetic ministry he has embraced with courage and compassion. His tireless work of restoring dignity to victims of extrajudicial killings and their families during the dark years of the war on drugs stands as a bold testimony of faith in action," according to the statement signed by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Kalookan bishop and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president.

"He has given voice to the voiceless, hope to the grieving, and strength to the weak, embodying the heart of the Church's mission for justice, peace, and the sanctity of life," they added.

Cardinal David voiced hope that Fr. Flavie and the SVD commnity, which is a religious congregation for men founded by St. Arnold Janssen, their missionary work "continue to inspire not only the faithful of our nation but also the peoples of Asia and the world, showing that faith indeed acts in love." — BAP, GMA Integrated News