Primate's Letter to President Arroyo
April 22, 2005
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Malacanang Palace
Manila, Philippines
RE: Recent killings, targeting of religious leaders and human rights violations in the Philippines
Dear Madame President,
I write to you as Primate and Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Canada which has numerous, longstanding partnerships with church and development organizations in the Philippines. Our church is greatly troubled by the series of killings in the last three months of human rights workers, members and leaders of peasants’ and farmers’ associations, political opposition and advocates for justice. The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) has informed us that since January 2005, at least 34 people have been killed, the majority of whom were members of Philippine churches.
We join our Filipino partners in denouncing the killing of the Rev. Fr. William Tadena, a priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and chair of the church’s Social Concern and Human Rights program. It is our understanding that Fr. Tadena was most recently active in mobilizing support and resources from his congregation for the strike waged by the workers and peasants in Hacienda Luisita.. Partners tell us that Fr. Tadena was the eleventh supporter of the workers to have been killed.
We are also deeply concerned by the assassination attempt on another IFI priest Fr. Allan Caparo and his wife on February 18, 2005. Fr. Caparo is the vice-chair of the ecumenical organization, Promotion of Church Peoples’ Response (PCPR) in Western Samar. Prior to the assassination attempt on Fr. Caparo a number of PCPR members had already been killed, including Joel Baclao, a lay preacher of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.
We join our partner Iglesia Filipina Independiente and other Philippine churches in condemning these targeted killings. We believe there is strong evidence that the murders are part of a systematic campaign to silence and intimidate individuals and groups who support the striking workers of Hacienda Luisita, human rights advocates and leaders of people’s organizations who challenge the policies of the government and oppose the abuses of the military.
Madame President, our concern about these killings springs from our deep belief in the sacredness of life as a gift from God, and from our responsibility to protect the rights of the people. We believe that you, as a Christian and President of the Philippines, share and uphold this value and commitment.
We therefore call on you to:
Act immediately to stop extra judicial and targeted killings;
Immediately conduct an investigation into these killings;
Ensure that the perpetrators of the crimes are brought to justice;
Immediately order the chain of command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to strictly enforce with their members the international standards and national laws protecting civil and political rights of citizens.
We agree with our Filipino partners that the impunity of those responsible for the killings will only lead to the escalation of violence. Madam President, please act now to stop this senseless death.
Sincerely,
The Most Reverend Andrew S. Hutchison
Archbishop and Primate
Anglican Church of Canada
CC:
Dr. Purificacion Quisumbing, Commission on Human Rights
Avelino Cruz, Hon. Secretary, Department of National Defense
Sharon Rose Ruiz Duremdes, General Secretary, National Council of Churches in the Philippines
Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada
Ambassador Francisco Benedicto, Philippine Ambassador to Canada
Alejandro Mosquera, Consul General, Canada
