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May 7, 2007
Montreal, Canada
"From the footsteps of a church to the footsteps of US
imperialism"
Demonstrators started to gathered in front of St. James United Church in
downtown Montreal on the Sunday afternoon of May 6. As they waited for the
program to start a violinist performed in the courtyard to draw people
into the church for a musical concert that was to start soon. Sunday
shoppers and tourists passing by stopped to look at the odd spectacle of
classical music and demonstrators with picket signs.
The crowd was a mix of union representatives, community organizers, church
leaders, NGO reps, teachers and students. Aside from the usual filipino
activists based in Montreal a group of filipinos from a United Chruch
congregation headed by Pastor Molly, himself of Filipino origin, joined
the demonstration. "We just finished our Sunday service," says Pastor
Molly. "It's important for us to be here today."
The program in front of the Church started with Rev. Shaun of the
Beaconsfield United Church addressing the crowd on the front steps of
St.James.
Coffins were laid out at the bottom of the
steps with the words "justce" and "democracy" pasted on. As the French
banner with the words "Stop the political killings in the Philippines" was
unfurled passerbys nodded to each other, finally understanding what the
crowd of demonstrators was about.
Songs by PINAY cultural group coaxed the Sunday shoppers to stop and look,
while the street theatre performed by Sid de Guzman of the Centre for
Philippine Concerns caused lumps in the throats of some demonstrators.
Rev. Shaun's booming voice then directed the crowd to line up in
preparation for the march through the US consulate. The coffins were
carried forward and the picket signs were held up. As the march snaked
through the downtown crowds hundreds of leaflets were handed out.
"There were many people who couldn't
understand why we would want to rain on their perfect sunny Sunday
afternoon," remarks Kelti Cameron of the Center for Philippine Concerns.
Kelti who was handing out flyers suggested that for next time the
statements should not be printed on such a bright yellow
paper. Some people complained how it struck their eyes. "Then again, I can
see immediately who was given a flyer and who wasn't," jokes Kelti.
At the US consulate, the demonstrators were asked to point out the real
culprit behind the political killings in the Philippines. They
immediately pointed towards the American eagle symbol on top of the doors
to the consulate.
"Today, we lay down the victims of the unjust war on terror on the
footsteps of US imperialism," explains Eileen Young of Solidarity Across
Borders and member of the Centre for Philippine Concerns. Coffins
symbolizing the deaths of justice and democracy in the Philippines were
laid down in front of the doors of the consulate. Eileen further expalins,
"We must hold US imperialism and it's puppet henchman, the Arroyo
government, guilty of these crimes against humanity."
*The May 6 march to the US consulate in Montreal was organized by the
Quebec Coalition to Stop the Political Killings in the Philippines. |
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PRESS STATEMENT
Issued by:
Bishop Eliezer M. Pascua
CAN THE GOVERNMENT STILL PROTECT ITS PEOPLE?
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of
righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when
the people revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against
you falsely for my sake."
Matthew 5:10 – 11
In the past two months, several lay members and pastors of the United
Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) have borne the brunt of human
rights violations. These recent incidents do not include the 16 members
from the UCCP who had been killed, abducted, missing and detained since
the Arroyo administration took over the Philippine government.
These incidents continue to highlight the unabated and unsolved extra-
judicial killings of activists, journalists, and church people. It appears
that the present State authorities are too weak as they have not, or does
not want to exert effort, to end the spate of violence in the land.
The Macapagal-Arroyo administration and the military establishment have
resorted to the "blame the victim" syndrome, for the victims' alleged
links with left-leaning or communist – front organizations, as though this
justifies the killings and the legal shortcuts which Supreme Court Chief
Justice Renato Puno lamented about recently. This is as callous as the
remark of Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzales blaming murdered Peace Corps
volunteer Julia Campbell of carelessness resulting to her untimely death.
In particular, we would like to air our concern over the following
incidents:
1. On March 2, 2007 Renato Pacaide was killed in Davao del Sur. He was an
active UCCP Member in Davao del Sur. He was also the Provincial
Coordinatior of Anakpawis and Secretary General of Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma
sa Davao del Sur. Witness narrated that Renato, with his step daughter
Michelle who was coddling her one (1) month old baby, were crossing Rizal
Avenue towards NAMADDS office when two unidentified men riding a
motorcycle stopped in front of them and pointed a gun at them. The trigger
man glanced at Michelle and her baby for a while before he shot Pacaide
who was hit in his upper left chest and lower shoulder. Paciada fell to
the ground and his killers caught up on him and finished him off with
bullets in the stomach and head.
2. On March 5, Priel Booc, a lay worker of UCCP Southern Mindanao District
Conference Community Development Program and Chairman of KARAPATAN – Task
Force Militarization, Southern Mindanao Region experienced harassment.
Booc received a text message from sender's number 09155780969 saying "Pare
pagbantay ka kay ikaw na ang sunod nga tirahon amigo ta piro trabaho lang
ni amo, okay? (Brother be careful you are the next to be killed we're
friends but it's our job, okay?)
3. On March 22, Abner Hizarsa, a member of UCCP J.P. Rizal, Makati and a
former political detainee and member of SELDA (Samahan ng mga Ex-detainees
laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya) was abducted by unidentified men
suspected to be military agents in Subic, Zambales. He remains missing up
to this date.
4. On March 30, former Conference Minister Rev. Carlos de la Cruz of the
Lowland Cavite-South Manila Conference and companion Emiliano Cojano were
abducted in Dasmariñas, Cavite. They were reportedly tortured and were
released the following day.
5. On April 21, 2007, Pastor Francisco Bonuan was arrested and is
currently detained in Camp Dangwa for his alleged participation in Balweg
killing case. Originally, there were 14 John and Jane Does in the case,
and the authorities eventually named outspoken government critics in the
area of North Luzon as culprits, even when the NPA Command in the Abra had
claimed responsibility for the killing. Most of the alleged killers were
already released by the Court for lack of evidence.
The above - cited incidents and other incidents of extra-judicial
killings, harassments, abductions and disappearances all the more give
credence and weight to the findings of the reputable organizations and
institutions, including the United Nations Human Rights Rapporteur Dr.
Philip Alston and the government's Melo Commission. The National Council
of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) has released the report of the
"Ecumenical Voice on Peace and Human Rights in the Philippines" on human
rights violations against church people and many other victims in a
document "Let the Stones Cry Out". The government and the military,
however, are in a "state of denial".
◄◄◄
General Secretary
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We call on the Macapagal- Arroyo
administration that has all the government resources at its disposal to
protect its own citizens. We call on the military to respect the people's
democratic rights, even those who criticize questionable policies of the
administration. We call on with one voice on all state agents and other
perpetrators of violence: STOP THE KILLINGS AND ALL FORMS OF POLITICAL
PERSECUTION!
The Bible tells us that authorities, including governments were
established by God. They are God's servants for the good of the people.
(Romans 13:1, 4) The Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo administration and its
instrumentalities will, eventually, hold themselves accountable to God and
the Filipino people. |
