DAVAO CITY – Colleagues and fellow peace advocates in Mindanao are now mourning the death of Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) priest Eliseo Mercado Jr., one of the known prime movers of the inter-religious dialogue initiatives and peace movements in the region.
Fellow OMI priest Roberto Layson, based in Pikit, North Cotabato, said he is saddened by the death of Mercado, saying that he looks up the latter as his icon in inter-religious dialogue and peacebuilding advocacies.
Like Mercado, Layson was also among the active key leaders in initiating grassroots peace-building advocacies at the height of the conflict in Central Mindanao.
On Sunday, May 24, the OMI Philippines announced the passing of Mercado.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing away of one of our giants, Fr. Eliseo "Jun" de la Rosa Mercado Jr. OMI, due to heart attack,” OMI Philippines posted on its Facebook page.
“Mercado had experienced Covid-19 symptoms at his residence at the OMI Novitiate in Barangay Tamontaka, Cotabato City. He was then admitted to the Cotabato Regional Medical Center (CRMC) last May 8,” OMI Philippines disclosed.
After having undergone tests, CRMC confirmed that Fr. Jun was positive for the Covid virus. For several days and weeks, he fought successfully against the virus and its symptoms despite many complications, and on May 22, his RT-PCR test finally yielded a covid negative result, it added.
“Things seemed to go well and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the CRMC to complete his recovery when suddenly around 3:20 PM today, May 23, his heart stopped due to heart attack,” the statement read.
Mercado, who would have turned 73 on May 29, was the third priest who succumbed to COVID-19 in the Archdiocese of Cotabato.
On May 21, Fr. Loreto Sanoy, 77, parochial vicar of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Cotabato City.
Then the following day, Fr. Rex Bacero, 52, President of the Notre Dame of Salaman College in Lebak town and Notre Dame of Kalamansig, both in Sultan Kudarat.