Fr Eliseo R Mercado Jr, OMI, PhD, is a humble, highly esteemed, and charismatic peace advocate who tirelessly worked for peace in Mindanao. He has been instrumental in fostering understanding and reconciliation among diverse groups in the region, including Christians, Muslims, MILF, MNLF, and indigenous peoples. Fr Jun, as popularly known among colleagues and friends, has had an enduring influence that motivates those who wish to uphold the legacy he has established. Fr Jun was born on 29 May 1948 in Obando, Bulacan and arrived in Maguindanao in 1965. His parents were Anita Perez dela Rosa and Eliseo Sr, who joined World War II as a US-trained aviator. He was with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), a missionary religious congregation of the Catholic Church, and would have celebrated his 54th anniversary as OMI had he not passed away on 23 May 2021. He studied Theology and Missiology at the Gregorian University in Rome and Islamic Studies at the University of Cairo, Egypt. In his teenage years, he thought of a career in politics. But after hearing Fr Bertrand de Merz talked in his school calling for “real leaders of men” to do missionary work in Muslim communities in Mindanao, he changed his mind and joined the mission. The Oblates redirected him from his political career path when he responded to the call to “go to Mindanao.” He established a close bond with the Muslim community when he was parish priest of Datu Piang, Maguindanao for 11 years which led him to participate in the peace process. Dr Susana Anayatin, a Member of the Parliament Bangsamoro Transition Authority -Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao shared how Fr Jun, as her mentor on peace education, has inspired her. “I admired Fr Jun’s very active role in the peace process and it made me reflect on my role in the conflict, recurring for almost five decades. He taught me to be fearless when fighting for our rights. He was my longtime mentor and even after his retirement, he was our consultant on the legislation of the Bangsamoro organic law.” His appreciation and understanding of the armed conflict in Mindanao made him a “friend of the Muslims,” a phrase placed on the cross in his graveyard as he was indeed a friend of everyone - of ordinary civilians, Muslims, indigenous peoples and of the rebels. He was not just a man of dialogue but he was also courageous in visiting barangays as he tried to reconcile warring groups to prevent escalation of conflicts. Fr Romeo Saniel, OMI talked about working with Fr Jun in the Quick Response Team – a joint monitoring team that monitored the implementation of the peace agreement of the MILF, MNLF and the government. “Fr Jun said peacebuilding and dialogue are roads less travelled by and we should never be afraid of taking on the difficult journey of peace building because our faith in God and our love for the poor are greater than our fears.” Fr Jun’s distinctive approach of being close to the people propelled him to prominence. He served as president of Notre Dame University (NDU) from 1992-2002 in Cotabato City, and chaired significant bodies such as the Independent Ceasefire Monitoring Committee between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, among others. In the expansive Cotabato river valley, he earned the trust of all sides: rebels, governors, politicians, and especially ordinary people, regardless of religious background. Under his leadership, the Institute for Peace Education was established at NDU. His contributions to peace building in Mindanao were recognized by three presidents—Corazon C Aquino, Fidel V Ramos, and Benigno S Aquino III— who awarded him for his role in Mindanao peacebuilding. From 2003 to 2006, he was the Director for Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation for the OMI based in Rome, where his expertise in “Peace Mediation and Islam” led the OMI to the United Nations as an accredited NGO to the European Union. At the time of his death, Fr Jun was the Philippine Province’s Archivist, residing at the Oblate Novitiate in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. He also continued in his advocacy work as Senior Policy Adviser of the non-government Institute for Autonomy & Governance (IAG). Atty Benedicto Bacani, Executive Director of IAG, remembered Fr Jun as someone who was “really with the people, with communities, and he is really a model of the slogan of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He is well loved by everybody, Christians, Muslims, indigenous peoples, precisely because his main advocacy is really building a pluralistic society, a society that is inclusive to everyone.” Indeed, Fr Jun selflessly and passionately gave himself to his mission in the Muslim communities of Mindanao during his five-decade of priesthood.
* * * * * * * In sincere recognition of his steadfast dedication and contribution to peacebuilding, healing, and reconstruction in Mindanao. Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan is pleased and deeply honored to posthumously bestow to Fr Eliseo R Mercado Jr, OMI, the Fr William F Masterson SJ Award of the 85th Commencement Exercises. |
