The Position of IFI and ECP on Issues of Human

Rights Violations on Journalists, Church Workers,

and Human Rights Activists
 Human Rights
 Theological Point of view – Founded not in
the fundamental freedom of humanity but
in the revealed truths.
 Human Point of View – It is a legal,
political, and moral claim to conditions
necessary for the well -being of
individuals.
 Ethical Point of View – It is a right, legal or
moral, which is possessed, or ought to be
possessed by all human beings.
 International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights
 The right to life (no arbitrary execution) and liberty;
 Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment;
 Freedom from slavery and forced servitude (with the
exception of prison sentences);
 Freedom from imprisonment solely because of failure to
meet contractual obligation;
 The right to recognition as a person;
 The right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion
 The right to protect personal liberty and security, and
provides for humane treatment when deprived of liberty,
freedom of movement.
 The right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly,
and freedom of association.
 It guarantees equality before the law.
 Freedom from propaganda for war, incitement to
discrimination, hostility or violence and unlawful
interference with privacy, family, home, or
correspondence.
 The Resurgence of Political Killings
Killings, Harassments and Abduction of Church Workers in
the Philippines
Submitted to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR),
December 12, 2005
 Common Denominator:
Denominator: They were human rights activists, members
of progressive political parties and vocal critics of logging, mining,
militarization and other destructive projects in the various
provinces.

 Northern and Southern Luzon (2004and 2005)

 28 April 2004 - Killing of Isaias Manamo, Member of the United

Church of Christ in the Philippines -Christian Youth Fellowship
(UCCP-CYF) and Anakpawis Party-list Mindoro
 9 September 2004 - Abduction of Mabini Wandale, United
Methodist Church (UMC) lay worker in Mindoro Occidental - still
missing.
 6 November 2004 - Pastor Marie Ann Vibat, UCCP member, with 8
other persons, was abducted by military elements in Batangas City.
They were forcibly disappeared and tortured. Pastor Marie Ann and
her companions were presented to the media as captured members
of the New People's Army (NPA). Now detained in Batangas City Jail.
 10 November 2004 - Killing of Joel Baclao, member of UCCP/
coordinator of the Relief and Rehabilitation work of the National
Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), National Council
Member of the Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR) in
Bicol
 16 November 2004 - Massacre of 7 workers and supporters of
Hacienda Luisita strike, including Juancho Sanchez, member of
UCCP-CYF Tarlac.
 13 March 2005 - Killing of Fr. William Tadena (IFI/PCPR Tarlac),
frustrated killing of 3 companions. Fr. Tadena was an active
supporter of the Hacienda Luisita workers.
 1 April 2005 - Attempted killing of Fr. Mario Quince, IFI Tarlac. Fr.
Quince is also an active supporter of the Hacienda Luisita workers.
 22 Sept 2005 - Diosdado Fortuna, a union leader, was shot dead in
Calamba, Laguna.
Laguna. A well-known labor organizer, Fortuna held a
roster of organizational responsibilities. He was chairman of the
Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (Pamantik or
Unity of Workers in Southern Tagalog), chairman of Anakpawis
Partylist-Southern Tagalog, co-chairman of the National Coalition for
the Protection of Worker's Rights in Southern Tagalog, national
council member of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. 30 October
2005 - Death threats against Fr. Rolando de Leon, a 50-year old
Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Malolos, Parish Priest of San
Andres Apostol, Norzagaray, Bulacan; 28 November 2005 - Killing
of Jose 'Pepe' Manegdeg III in Ilocos, member of Rural Missionaries
of the Philippines (RMP), Bayan Muna coordinator and former
 9 March 2005 Romeo “Romy”
Caccam Sanchez, 39-year old,
was shot and killed instantly
by a single bullet, at 3rd
Kayang St., Baguio City public
market. He was the Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan
(Bayan) - Ilocos secretary-
general and Bayan Muna
party list – Ilocos Coordinator
when murdered.
22 December 2005 - A lone
gunman in Sta. Maria,
Laguna, gunned down Luciano
Razon, a former radio
broadcaster. He was a former
radio announcer of Radyo
Natin (107.9 FM) base in
Paete, Laguna.
 MURDERED GABRIELA AND GABRIELA
WOMEN’S PARTY MEMBERS

 22 July 2001 - 41-year old Milagros Belga was brutally murdered by two men in her home
in Magdalena, Laguna. She suffered bullet and stab wounds. Milagros was a GABRIELA
member and a human rights para-legal volunteer.

 8 April 2002 - Manuela Albarillo, a GABRIELA member, and her husband Expedito, a
BAYAN Muna political party coordinator, were assassinated near their home in
Magdalena, Laguna.
 21 May2002 - Rodriga and Ruben Apolinar and their 8-year old daughter Nina Angela of
Laguna were murdered by strafing their house that night by unidentified gunmen.
Ruben was a member of BAYAN Muna political party. Rodriga was a member of
GABRIELA.
 27 August 2004 - Melita Trinidad Carvajal, 50, of Sta. Rosa Laguna, was shot by two
unidentified men on a motorcycle while standing in front of her house on August 27,
2004. Melita was hit with two bullets. She died instantly. Melita was a GABRIELA
Women’s Party municipal coordinator and the spokesperson for a number of local and
neighborhood organizations. She fought for the rights of women and children as she led
the anti-demolition and anti-corruption campaigns in her town.
 Visayas Region

 15 November 2004 - Herson Hinolan died two days after he was

repeatedly shot in the back by a lone gunman outside a carnival at the
town proper of Kalibo, Aklan. He was station manager of dgIM Bombo
Radyo in Kalibo and hosted the station’s morning program “Bombohanay
Bigtime” when killed.
 18 February 2005 - Attempted killing of Fr. Allan Caparro and wife Aileen;
Fr. Allan is a member of Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and PCPR
Northern Samar
 2005 May - Killing of Alfredo Davis, UCCP Samar.
 12 May 2005 - Killing of UCCP Conference Minister Edison Lapuz, member
of PCPR, Karapatan and Bayan Muna.
 6 December 2005 - Killing of Junie Jacosalem, member of UCCP and
Bayan Muna in Calamba, Misamis Occidental.
 Two motorcycle-riding suspects, who were wearing baseball caps, shot
Allan Villacencio in front of his house in Barangay Caridad. His wife Myrna
said her husband had no enemy. Villacencio was the Bayan Muna barangay
coordinator in Bgy. Caridad, Tuburan, Cebu City. Karapatan, which
conducted a fact-finding mission on Villacencio’s death, claimed that
soldiers who also allegedly tried to kill one of its members last November
2005 were ones who killed Villacencio.
 7 November 2005- assailants shot Jose Ducalang, coordinator of Bayan
Muna in Ormoc, Leyte.
 13 November 2005 - Bienvenido Bajado, for vice mayor of Maydolong,
Eastern Samar (Eastern Visayas) and chair of the Bayan Muna local
chapter, was shot and killed.
 Mindanao Region
 May 2005 - Military filed rebellion charges vs. Sr.
Mary John Dumaog, a Good Shepherd sister working
among Lumad community in San Luis, Agusan del Sur.
This was part of a sustained harassment against Sr.
John and the lumad community who are opposed to
logging, mining and military abuses in their area.
 20 August 2005 - Serious attempt on the life of Rev.
Raul Domingo, member of UCCP and Kapatirang
Simbahan para sa Bayan (Kasimbayan) and Secretary
General of Karapatan in Palawan. On September 4,
Rev. Domingo died at the hospital.
 30 September 2005 Mrs. Victoria Samonte (51), the
regional vice-chair of the KMU-CARAGA which is the
leading labor alliance in the Philippines, was stabbed
to death by an unidentified man in Bislig City,
Mindanao.
 24 August 2005 - Two gunmen on motorcycles shot
and killed a well known human rights activist, Jacinto
"Rashid" Manahan, on a street in Davao. National
media decried the killing, which many news sources
ascribed to the vigilantes alleged to be responsible for
other killings in Davao during the year.
 5 April 2005 - Filipino journalist and human rights
activist, Benjaline "Beng" Hernandez called on the
Philippine government to "end the abuses and
violence of the security forces committed against
civilians in the course of anti-terrorist operations."
Hernandez, who worked for university student
publications and was a researcher with the Karapatan
human rights organization in Davao (Mindanao island),
was killed while investigating how the peace process
was being implemented in the Arakan Valley, in
Cotabato province. The journalist, aged 22, was
reportedly shot dead along with three local young
people by soldiers of the Philippine army’s 12th
Special Forces Company and the 7th Airborne
Battalion led by Sgt Antonio Torella.
 IFI Pastoral Statements

Scalating Repression against Human Rights Advocates

 “We, the Supreme Council of Bishops (SCB), Iglesia Filipina

Independiente (IFI), met at the City of Manila on May 6-8.
2002. Prayerfully and collectively declare that we are
alarmed by the escalating repression against human rights
advocates who are critical of the anti-people policies of the
present administration. It is our moral obligation to uphold
and support legitimate organizations and advocates who
advance the democratic interests and struggles of the toiling
masses for abundant life (Jn. 10:10). We expect that this
present regime, being installed by the People Power II, must
uphold and protect the human, civil and political rights of
the people. The right to life is a fundamental and inalienable
right of the people. No one shall be subjected to summary
execution (salvaging), bombardment and indiscriminate
firing upon civilian population. This right is enshrined in the
Philippine Constitution, Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and the Geneva Conventions.
 We are alarmed that cases of summary executions, forced
abductions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, harassment
and repression were experienced by advocates of human
rights and welfare of the people from February last year until
March this year. The Ecumenical Movement for Justice and
Peace (EMJP) has recorded 17 killings, 6 missing and 9
arrested and detained. Many cases happened in Central and
Southern Luzon.
 In Central Luzon, a week before 4 human right advocates
were reported missing, a high ranking PNP officer had
"ordered" the surveillance of the activities of human rights
groups. In April 2002, a high-ranking PNP officer in Southern
Mindanao also held a press briefing that activities of
people's organizations and human rights groups would be
watched by the police elements. Human rights groups in
Albay, Bohol and Negros reported that PNP elements are
gathering information about human right advocates and
leaders of people’s organizations.
 On April 24, 2002, the people's organization
was linked to the bombing in General Santos
City. The PNP Chief of General Santos City
declares that the responsible people on the
bombings were former members of the MNLF,
MILF and NPA. But PNP elements raided an
office of the women's organization in General
Santos City. Progressive and pro- people and
human rights advocates saw these separate
incidents. These happened in the midst of the
growing intervention of the United States
over the internal affairs of our country. These
happened amidst intensified bickering among
the camp of President Macapagal-Arroyo and
pro-Estrada organization-Philippine
Consultative Assembly Sanlakas Camp. The
people's organizations and human rights
groups are targets of political repression
because they spearhead a campaign against
US military intervention.
 Impelled by our calling as servants of God in
the Philippines, we, therefore, denounce this
alarming political repression. We call on our
people to be vigilant and resist any military
rule over civilian authority. We renew our call
to the people of God to seek justice and
pursue peace in our beloved land. We should
not lose our hope that someday our country
will become a free, sovereign and humane
society.
 Signed on this 8th day of May 2002, being
the Centennial of the Kullabeng Assembly, IFI
Centennial General Assembly, and the 142nd
Birth Anniversary of the First Supreme Bishop
Gregorio L. Aglipay.”
 E C P Pastoral Statements

No More Wars!

 “We join all congregation and peace-loving people in praying

fervently that God the Omnipotent will “make wars to cease unto the
end of the earth… (Psalm 46:9)
 We are deeply saddened by the ongoing and impending wars and
armed conflicts – not only in Iraq and Palestine in the Middle East
but also in the Philippines, North Korea, and other countries around
the world.
 From the vantage of our faith in God, we wish to stress that all
peaceful initiatives to avert and to stop these wars have not been
exhausted. We believe that such wars are travesties against our
Divine Creator, and against our fellow human beings whose lives
would be lost, sacrificed, or imperiled. The pre-emptive strikes and
anti-terrorism operations will not contribute to peace or reduce the
risks of aggression. War – even as a last resort – remains the
antithesis of peace. War can only bring about more suffering and
death and devastation.
 For several centuries, the world has suffered many wars. Too much
blood has been shed; too many lives lost. Many people had hoped
that the 21st century would usher in a new spirit and determination
for human beings to find non-violent solutions to the pernicious
problems of this broken world. The modern world now has the
means and the capability to do so. Indeed, we had hoped that the
leaders of the world had learned the lessons of the past – that wars
aggravate conflicts rather than heal broken relations.
 The God we believe in does not rejoice in the death and destruction
of sinners and evildoers but in their salvation and liberation. The
God we have come to know in Christ is one who seeks the lost sheep
– even at great cost – and brings them to the fold. God is one who
does not choose to kill. He sacrificed himself for our sake, through
his Son, Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace. Let us pray…”
 Enemies of the State
 Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines

Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)
 Kapatirang Simbahan para sa Bayan
(Kasimbayan)
 Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI)
 Association of Major Religious Superiors of
the Philippines

Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

party-list Organizations
 Positions of IFI and ECP
 The appearance again of summary execution of the so-called progressive
groups of religious, media, and human rights activists by those in the
government positions made the IFI and the ECP issued statements of
condemnation. The positions of both churches as the protector of the life
and liberty not only of its flock, but others as well, is seen in their
statements addressed in a strongest possible term. As Peacemakers, both
churches believed that exposing the atrocities of the Philippine National
Police, The Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the powerful will lead to a
peaceful dialogue with the government panel, NDF, and progressive
organizations as well. The hope of searching for an everlasting peaceful
solutions to the ideological and political conflicts that killed many innocent
people and k victims of gross human violations by the-powers-that-be, can
only be achieved by means of sincere dialogue with both sides guided by
the Holy Spirit.
 The regimes of human rights basically focus on individual rights. This is in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and base on the understanding
of humanity on Christian values.
 A study in the area of human rights would reveal that a larger part of the
history of human rights was dominated by the notion of individual rights,
centered on the individual human person, especially the right to life and
liberty.