The head of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) Wednesday called on the authorities to go after the killers of their Korean missionary Rev. Cho Te Hwan.

PCEC National Director Bishop Efraim Tendero said authorities should leave no stones unturned in pursuing and bringing the perpetrators of the barbaric act to justice.

He said Cho did not deserve to die such a brutal death since he only came here in the country to serve Christ and the people.

The family of Cho, however, is praying that the criminals will change their ways and know Jesus.

“It’s not important to me now that the criminals be apprehended but that they may know Jesus Christ that Rev. Cho serves,” Mrs. Cho told Tendero when he visited them.

It was last August 22, 2010 when Cho’s group was blocked along Ortigas avenue in Cainta by a group of men driving a car without plates. The men tried to forcefully open their car. Fearing that the attackers would abduct his visitors from Korea whom he picked from the airport, Cho did not open the car and stayed in the driver’s seat where he was shot several times by the attackers.

Rev. Cho’s visitors recalled that during their harrowing experience, after the perpetrators of the crime left, no one from the people around helped them so the bleeding Rev. Cho could be brought to the hospital. And when the police arrived in the scene, they first took time to do on site investigation and questioning rather than immediately taking him where he can receive medical intervention to possibly save his life.

Rev. Cho Tae Hwan came to the Philippines in 1999 serving under PCEC. He began his ministry in Legaspi City. He then moved to Cainta, Rizal during the eruption of Mayon Volcano. He subsequently ministered among the urban poor in Arienda, Pasig and established the Arienda Peace Church.

Aside from pastoring, he volunteered as Principal of Glendale Immanuel Academy in Tikling, Taytay, Rizal, being the first male Korean who received certification as International Montessori educator. He also gave his time in giving free Taekwondo lessons to the children, both in Hankook Academy and in the community. He, too, rendered several medical missions and was an active volunteer with the UNICEF. In his church, he regularly asked the members where they will go after they die, to which they would reply with confidence, “In heaven.”

When typhoon Ondoy struck last year, the shanties of their members were swept by the flood and he embarked on building houses for the church members in Arienda. The visitors that he fetched from the airport came in order to help in building the houses and give donations for the housing project.

He was cremated at 12 noon on Aug 25, 2010 after the necrological service at Evergreen Chapels and Cremation in Pasig City.