Pope Francis remembered as leader who stood up for human rights

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'He knew his bishops. He knew our tears. He knew us and he loved us. He taught us not to fear,' Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas says

BAGUIO, Philippines – Filipinos in the religious and human rights sectors remember late Pope Francis as the head of the Catholic Church who stood up against atrocities and spoke on behalf of the oppressed.

After the Holy Father’s passing on Monday, April 21, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas paid tribute to the Pope Francis whom he called “the gift of the Good Shepherd to the Church.” Villegas, known for his progressive stands on critical issues like human rights, remembered the late Pope’s support to him as he stood up against atrocities.

“When I was mocked and ridiculed and threatened by government authorities in my stand against the extrajudicial killings, he assured me and encouraged me personally in Rome to carry on my task of guiding the flock through my pastoral letters. He knew his bishops. He knew our tears. He knew us and he loved us. He taught us not to fear,” Villegas wrote.

The Pope previously displayed the same support to another progressive Catholic leader, Cardinal Pablo “Ambo” Virgilio David.

The newly appointed cardinal from Caloocan City is one of the bishops most critical of the war that killed nearly 30,000 people, based on human rights groups’ tallies. The said city was among the hotspots of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war. David received death threats from anonymous senders amid his opposition against Duterte’s bloody policy. (READ: Duterte said kill the bishops – and his word became flesh)

Amid these threats, Francis told David “that he knows what he (David) is going through and that he is praying for him,” according to Vatican News.

‘A moral compass’

Former senator Leila de Lima, who was persecuted under Duterte for her critical stance on human rights, paid tribute to the late Pope whom she described as a “moral compass” amid injustice.

“He was a moral compass in a world so often overwhelmed by cruelty and injustice. With gentleness and courage, he walked with the poor, the forgotten, and even the imprisoned. He reminded us, again and again, that every life has dignity—and that real faith must take the side of the excluded,” the former lawmaker said.

“During one of the darkest times in my life, I received a rosary from Pope Francis. It came quietly, without fanfare, but its meaning was profound. In that moment, I felt seen. I felt remembered. For those who have endured injustice, his papacy was a source of deep solace. His legacy is not just for the Church—it is for every person who chooses to believe in compassion, truth, and justice,” she added.

I join the global community in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.

He was a moral compass in a world so often overwhelmed by cruelty and injustice. With gentleness and courage, he walked with the poor, the forgotten, and even the imprisoned. He reminded us, again… pic.twitter.com/L8sELKJ3Ge

— Leila de Lima #6MLPartylist (@manayleila) April 21, 2025

The Bangsamoro Government also showed solidarity with mourning Catholics and remembered the late Pope as a source of moral clarity who “urged world leaders to depart from war and instead seek peaceful resolutions.”

“The news of his passing brings profound sadness as Pope Francis was a beacon of hope and a tireless advocate for peace, justice, and interfaith dialogue. Testament to this were his persistent and heartfelt appeals for peace in the Middle East, especially in the face of atrocities in Palestine,” it said.

Rise Up for Life and for Rights, an alliance of human rights defenders and drug war victims, remembered Pope Francis as a figure that provided courage to the poor and Church leaders who speak up against killings.

“Pope Francis was always speaking about solidarity and justice. He made strong exhortations that the lives of the poor are valuable. He urged for everyone to hear our cries. When our loved ones were killed under the drug war policy, some Church leaders stood with us, when almost everyone else scattered. While it is sad that some Filipino clergy cooperated with operation Tokhang, it is also true that those who spoke out against the drug war killings shared our grief, our troubles, and our journey toward justice,” the group said.

“We thank you, Pope Francis, for loving the poor and those at the margins. We thank you for helping us to care for one another and for our common home,” the drug war victims added. – Rappler.com