Catholic priest jailed for murder dies

An Irish Roman Catholic priest, who became the centre of international media attention more than 20 years ago after being arrested on murder charges while working in the Philippines, has died in Italy.

Father Niall O’Brien, a member of the Columban Order of the church, was 64.

He was among eight people, including two other priests, jailed for the murder of a local mayor in 1983.

The charges against the group were subsequently dropped after they had spent more than a year in custody.

The murder counts were withdrawn after Father O’Brien’s mother staged a demonstration in a mock cell outside the American embassy in Dublin against Washington support for the then Filipino regime during a visit to Ireland by US President Ronald Reagan.

Father O’Brien later returned to the Philippines after the collapse of the dictatorship of former President Marcos, and edited a church magazine.

He died in Pisa, where he was being treated for a blood disorder.