CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija: Tears blended with the rain as hundreds of local parishioners, lay leaders and Catholic Church hierarchy braved the gloomy weather to bury slain priest Richmond Villaflor Nilo at the Crypta in the new Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Cathedral here on Friday.

At about the same time, the Philippine National Police reported that it had arrested a suspect in the killing of the priest.

In a news conference that he called, Chief Supt. Amador Corpuz, Police Regional Office 3 director, identified the alleged killer as Adell Roll Milan.

Milan was arrested in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, by members of the provincial police intelligence unit on Thursday night.

Arsenio Evangelista, executive vice president of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, told The Manila Times he was hoping the arrested man was a true suspect, not a "fall guy.”

Fr. Nilo, 44, was shot dead as he was about to officiate the Sunday (June 10) early evening Mass in his assigned chapel in Barangay Mayamot, Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija.

Before his interment, a concelebrated Mass was held at Saint Nicholas Cathedral by Bishop Sofronio Bancud; Archbishop Gabriele Casccia, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines; and priests from Nueva Ecija and neighboring dioceses in Central Luzon.

The nuncio read the message sent by the Pope expressing his condolences to the bereaved family of the slain priest.

A sobbing Perla Martin, a devout Catholic, recalled to The Manila Times how their life was touched by the priest during his stint as president of the College of the Immaculate Conception.

Perlas and many others cried unashamedly during the interment while carrying streamers that read "Justice for Father.”

Those who attended, clad mostly in white and black, lined up the streets of Cabanatuan, some with umbrellas, while others were unmindful of the rain.

In his homily, Bancud said Fr. Nilo’s death should remind the lay faithful to defend the Catholic Church, which, he added, stands for truth, peace and justice, like what the priest championed while he was still alive.

He said, "The call for invitation for each and one of us here is to learn how to stand for truth and the Church that we belong in.”

Bancud added, "You [the faithful] should not be deterred. If you have been persecuted, He was persecuted first,” referring to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

He thanked those who attended the funeral to pay their last respects to the murdered priest.

"Zaragoza, Parokyang Naulila [Zaragoza, Orphaned Parish],” a banner read.

Almost 3,500 people viewed the burial rites and mourned in solidarity with the Diocese of Cabanatuan via the TV Maria Philippines’ livestream on Facebook.

An emotional Anthony Velasco, a member of the San Vicente Ferrer Parish, in which Fr. Nilo served by celebrating seven to 10 Masses a day, said the priest helped his family when his child got sick.

Until his death, Fr. Nilo was a priest for 17 years.

"Siya ang tumulong şamın para unti-unting bumangon [He helped us get back on our feet little by little],” Velasco said.

Julienne Ocampo, a deaf student at the College of Immaculate Conception, thanked Fr. Nilo on behalf of the hearing-impaired students that he helped study at the school for nine years.

"Fr. Rich, tapos na po kami sa K to 12. Di po namin kayo makakalimutan. Mami-miss po namin ang mga jokes ninyo [Fr. Rich, we have completed our K to 12. We won’t forget you. We will miss your jokes],” she said, using a term of endearment for Nilo.

The crowd was invited to sing the last line of "Impossible Dream” and recite "Rest in peace. Fr. Rich, Panalo ka [You’re a winner].”

In memorandum circular, Bancud said Nilo’s persecution was a cause for Sambayanang Pagluluksa or People’s Mourning.

"The death of Fr. Richmond is not just a loss to his sister Rosemeline nor to his brother-priests. His death is a great loss for all of us Catholic faithful in the Diocese of Cabanatuan! We grieve because we lost a brother, shepherd, father and friend to a murderer’s bullet.”

Fr. Nilo was the third priest to be killed in the last six months.

Fr. Mark Anthony Ventura from Gattaran town, Cagayan, was shot dead in April.

Fr. Marcelito Paez of Jaen town, also in Nueva Ecija, was gunned down in December 2017.

WITH REPORTS FROM CATHERINE MODESTO, ROY D.R. NARRA AND ELADIO PERFECTO