CBCP: La Union Bishop Rillera passes away

San Fernando (La Union) Bishop Artemio Rillera, a missionary from the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), passed away at age 69 after a severe asthma attack on Sunday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said. “This came as a big shock. This was totally unexpected," said CBCP media director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III said in a news release on the CBCP website. According to the CBCP, Rillera had a severe asthma attack after holding a Mass at the Seminary of the Sacred Heart in San Fernando City, La Union. He was rushed to Bethany Hospital in San Fernando City but he was pronounced dead on arrival at around 10:40 a.m., the CBCP said. The CBCP said Rillera was a known advocate against illegal drugs in La Union and led several street demonstrations for the authorities to act against it. Last February, he led a protest after a suspect in the operation of a drug laboratory in Naguilian, La Union in 2008 was allowed to post a P1-million bail. In 2009, Rillera received the Saranay Award, the highest recognition given by the provincial government to a resident of La Union, for his fight against illegal drugs, among others. Rillera was born in Naguilian town. He was ordained and installed Bishop of Bangued on August 28, 1993. He was appointed Bishop of San Fernando de La Union on April 1, 2005 and installed as its fourth bishop on June 14, 2005. - VVP, GMA News