Manila: A priest was shot and killed in the Philippines’ Central Luzon region as he was officiating mass on Sunday.

Father Richmond Nilo, 53, was shot inside the premises of a chapel in the village of Mayamot, in Zaragoza town in Nueva Ecija province at around 5pm, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on its website on Monday.

Reports said a gunman shot Fr Nilo at least seven times through the chapel’s window before the assailant and his or her companion sped away from the crime scene in a car.

Bishop Sofronio Bancud of the Diocese of Cabanatuan, said they condemned in the strongest possible terms the slaying of Fr Nilo and the escalating violence and culture of impunity in the country even against unarmed clergymen.

“No priest, no human being for that matter, deserves to be killed with utter brutality, disrespect and impunity,’” he said.

“To kill a priest then, for whatever motive or cause, is not only un-Christian and inhuman, it is also un-Filipino,” he said in a statement while at the same time demanding justice for the slaying of the cleric.

“Justice, for through an impartial investigation of the case and for its swift resolution, as likewise, we appeal to those with material knowledge on this matter to cooperate with police and authorities,” the Bishop said.

The CBCP said the murder of Fr. Nilo marks the third killing of a priest in the country in six months, following the killing of Fr. Mark Ventura in Gattaran, Cagayan on April 29 and Fr. Marcelito Paez in Jaen, Nueva Ecija on December 4.

On June 6, Fr. Rey Urmeneta of the St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Calamba was wounded after he was ambushed by unidentified suspects as he was riding with his secretary in a car.

Urmeneta, a former police chaplain, suffered wounds to his left upper back and left arm was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

For its part, the palace condemned the killing of Nilo.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the attack on Nilo or any other members of the clergy for that matter, goes beyond taking a person’s life but also an affront to the right to religion.

“We will give priority to this to get justice for Father Nilo.

Likewise, the palace also expressed alarm over the series of killings of clergymen saying it will not take the issue sitting down.