Fr. Pete Montellano of Save Sierra Madre Network (SSMN) is one of the environmental advocates to be awarded The Fr. Neri Satur Award for Environmental Heroism on Monday April 25, 2011.  The ceremony will be held at NBN Station Channel 4, 2:00 in the afternoon.

The environmentalist priest has been known for his activism and fearless advocacy in defending Sierra Madre against developmental distractions like illegal loggings and for protection against human rights violations of peoples living inside and around the mountain range especially the indigenous peoples’ communities.

This annual event that gives recognition for the heroes of our environment is done in honor of Fr. Neri Satur.  Known as the “Green Priest” of Bukidnon, Fr. Neri protected the forest against illegal loggers, thus earning their ire and lead to his assassination.

On October 14, 1991, three men, allegedly hired by the illegal loggers he angered, killed Fr. Satur. His head was smashed by a rifle’s butt and was shot pointblank with a shotgun.

HRonlinePH congratulates Fr. Pete Montellano, a robed defender of Sierra Madre as PDI  called him.

Related Articles

• Earth Day Jam 2011 (purpleheaven.wordpress.com)
• [In the news] Robed defender of the Sierra Madre – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos (hronlineph.wordpress.com)
• Bukidnon forum tackles impact of development to watershed, river basin (bukidnonews.wordpress.com)