Priest known for crusade vs EJKs in Davao City passes away

Source: Manila Bulletin

DAVAO CITY - A priest known for his crusade against alleged extra-judicial killings in this city passed away on Wednesday, May 29, the Redemptorist Province of Cebu announced on its Facebook page.

PICARDAL pedaling with young bikers. (Keith Bacongco)

"With great sadness, I announce the passing of our dear confrere, Fr. Amado 'Picx' Picardal, CSsR, today, May 29, 2024, the day of his religious profession. He was 69-years-old," wrote Fr. Edilberto Cepe, CSsR, the provincial superior of the Redemptorist Missionaries Province of Cebu.

The church did not provide details on the cause of his death.

But online news agency MindaNews quoted Redemptorist Brother, Karl M. Gaspar, CSsR, that Picardal was walking when "he died in the garden near the hermitage that he had been building for a year in the hills of Busay" in Cebu City.

Picardal, known as a cycling priest, passed away on the same day he was celebrating his 47th anniversary of his religious profession.

"Today is the 47th anniversary of my religious profession of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience as a Redemptorist. This took place four years before my presbyterial ordination (April 24, 1981). Three more years to go before my golden jubilee of profession," the priest posted on his Facebook account at 7:37 a.m.

Picaradal joined the Redemptorists in 1977 and was ordained as priest on April 24, 1981.

Picardal, of Iligan City, promoted his advocacy for human rights and environment through solo bike tours and marathons around the country.

"Fr. Picx was a brilliant and courageous missionary. He was a passionate advocate of peace and social justice and a professor of theology who has touched and transformed the lives of many," Cepe added.

In 2003, Picardal co-founded the Coalition Against Summary Execution (CASE), which documented the extra-judicial killings in this city attributed to the war on drugs campaign of then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Picardal, who eventually became the group's spokesperson, criticized Duterte for allegedly backing the "Davao Death Squad" or DDS.

DDS was allegedly behind the spate of killings of suspected drug pushers and other criminals here at the height of the Duterte leadership.

When Duterte became president in 2016, Picardal continued his campaign against EJK across the country.

Two years later, he went into hiding after receiving information that some members of the DDS were searching for him.

Picardal studied AB Philosophy at the University of San Carlos in Cebu from 1971 to 1975 where he was involved in student activism.

"I was arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for seven months a year after (President) Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972. After finishing college, I lived among the poor for six months in a slums area in Cebu and was trained as a community organizer," he wrote on the bio page of his blog.

Picardal was heavily involved in organizing the Catholic Church's Basic Ecclesial Communities, locally known as Ginagmay Kristohanong Katilingban (GKK) all over Mindanao.

He was also assigned in the mountainous town of San Fernando, Bukidnon, where he organized the communities against illegal logging activities in 1987 to 1988.

Picardal was based in this city from 1995 to 2011 as professor and dean of academic studies at the Saint Alphonsus' Theologate (later renamed Saint Alphonsus' Theological and Mission Institute), the school of theology for Redemptorists in Southeast Asia.

During his stint here, Picardal worked with human rights groups and documented the summary executions allegedly pertpetrated by the DDS.

"I biked for peace across the country (from Davao to Ilocos Norte) covering 2,083 kms. I also organized an annual bike for peace in Davao during the Mindanao Week of Peace. I biked around Israel in 2005 during my sabbatical. During the summer of 2006, I biked for life and peace around Mindanao for three weeks accompanied part of the way by some priests and a bishop. In 2008, I biked around the Philippines (Davao to Aparri and back to Davao) covering over 5,000 kms in 56 days," he wrote.

On the same Facebook post few hours before his death, Picardal posted photos and a poem for his dog Bruno, whom he celebrated his 47th year in religious profession in silence and solitude with.

"Bruno, I'm grateful for your presence in the twilight of my life as I prepare for my final journey to eternity to meet face to face the One I love to whom I sacrificed my whole life. I hope dogs are also welcome in the heavenly home," Picardal concluded on his Facebook post.