MANILA (UPDATE) — A group of religious-missionary priests and brothers on Friday called for a stop to the recent spate of killings.

In a statement, the Commission of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Society of the Divine Word condemned the killing of Rev. Fr. Richmond Nilo as he was about to celebrate mass in Nueva Ecija last Sunday.

"We, religious-missionary priests and brothers of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), after deep and prayerful silence in discernment about today's 'escalating violence and culture of impunity in the country', express our outrage at the brutal killings of priests, most recently that of Rev. Fr. Richmond Nilo of the Diocese of Cabanatuan," the group said.

"We are one with ecclesial groups in the Christian and faith communities to call for a stop to killings. We live for each other."

The missionary congregation, led by two priest coordinators of the JPIC, has dedicated June 18, the ninth day of Nilo's slay, as a "day of atonement."

"A day of prayer, that the darkness of sin (killings) and the night of unbelief (impunity) vanish before the light of the Divine Word and the spirit of grace," they said.

The statement was released by JPIC coordinators Fr. Flavie Villanueva (SVD Central Province) and Fr. Reynaldo Jimenez (SVD Northern Province).

In a span of 6 months, 3 Catholic priests have been killed, with Nilo's death the most recent.

In April 2018, Rev. Fr. Mark Anthony Ventura was also shot dead by an unidentified gunman after celebrating Mass in Gattaran, Cagayan.

In December 2017, Rev. Fr. Marcelito Paez was gunned down by unidentified assailants after assisting in the release of a political prisoner in the town of Jaen, Nueva Ecija.

Meanwhile, Fr. Rey Urmenta, a former PNP chaplain, survived an ambush in Calamba, Laguna last week.

The CBCP has condemned this spate of killings, calling it an "outrageously evil act."

• 'Outrageously evil act': CBCP condemns killing of Nueva Ecija priest