Guerrillas Refuse to Return Remains of Murdered Priest

(Compass) – Guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) remain firm in their refusal to hand over the body of a beloved Roman Catholic priest they abducted, shot and buried last month. Father Francisco Montoya, 33, was kidnapped December 8 while traveling from Quibdó, Chocó, to the village of Nóvita , about 400 miles northeast of Bogota . “He had entered the area without their authorization. They accused him of being an army informant,” said Manuel García, Vicar General of the Quibdó diocese. Marxist guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries control large swaths of territory in the embattled Chocó department (state), terrorizing local residents and trafficking in narcotics. Guerrilla spokesmen said they buried Montoya on the mountain where he was murdered, but refused to allow his remains to be exhumed, citing security concerns. “The church can enter, but only with their [FARC] authorization,” García said. “It’s a very painful situation.”