Killings, Abductions, Death Threats, Arrests of Clergy and Lay Leaders in the Philippines

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

An update on the killings of clergy and lay leaders by our partner, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines.

Since early 2004, twelve clergy and lay members were killed under the Arroyo administration. Others were abducted or arrested. They were all human rights activists, members of progressive political parties and vocal critics of logging, mining, militarization and other destructive projects in the various provinces. Part of this list was reportedly submitted to the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) last December 19, 2005 by one of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) partners, the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR).

—- Killings —-

Isaias Manano, member of UCCP, resident of Brgy. Nacoco, Clapan City, Mindoro, Oriental

28 April 2004 – Killing of Isaias Manano, member of the UCCP–Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) and Anakpawis Party-list Mindoro.

Joel Baclao, member of UCCP, Purok 6, Lacag, Daraga, Albay, Bicol

10 November 2004 Killing of Joel Baclao, member of UCCP/ coordinator of “Andurog Mayon”, the Relief and Rehabilitation work of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) for victims of the Mayon Volcano eruption in Bicol, National Council Member of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) in Bicol. He was killed in front of his house at Purok 6, Lacag, Daraga, Albay

Juancho Sanchez, member of UCCP-Christian Youth Fellowship, Central Azucarera de Tarlac, Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac City, Tarlac.

16 November 2004 – Massacre of 7 workers and supporters of Hacienda Luisita strike in front of Gate 1, Central Azucarera de Tarlac, Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac City, Tarlac including Juancho Sanchez, member of UCCP-Christian Youth Fellowship, Tarlac.

Vicente Olea, member of UCCP, San Vicente, Palawan.

23 November 2004 – Killing of Vicente Olea, 71-year old UCCP member in San Vicente, Palawan.

Abe Sungit, member of UCCP, resident of Brgy. Quezon, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

5 February 2005 – Killing of Abe Sungit, leader of indigenous people in Palawan, member of UCCP – IDPIP (Indigenous People’s Program), Karapatan-Palawan and PAGSAMBATAN 18. He was killed in Brgy. Malcampo, Roxas, Palawan.

Fr. William Tadena, member of Iglesia Filipina Independiente , resident of Brgy. Matindeg, Pura, Tarlac

13 March 2005 – Killing of Fr. William Tadena, member of IFI and PCPR in Tarlac; frustrated killing of three companions – Carlos Barsolazo, Charlie Gabriel and Ervina Domingo (church workers). Fr. Tadena was an active supporter of the Hacienda Luisita workers.

Alfredo Davis, member of UCCP, Mahaplag, Leyte

__ May 2005 – Killing of Alfredo Davis, UCCP, Mahaplag, Leyte. His father was a former chairperson of a regional alliance of peasant organizations.

Reverend Edison Lapuz, Conference Minister of UCCP, Sitio Motor, Brgy.Crossing, San Isidro, Leyte

12 May 2005 – Killing of UCCP Conference Minister Edison Lapuz, member of PCPR, Karapatan and Bayan Muna.

Rev. Raul Domingo, UCCP, resident of Brgy. San Jose, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

20 August 2005 –Rev. Raul Domingo, UCCP Conference Minister for the Palawan Associate Conference, was shot and seriously wounded. He was active with Kapatirang Simbahan para sa Bayan (Kasimbayan) and Secretary General of Karapatan in Palawan. On September 4, Rev. Domingo died at the hospital.

Jose ‘Pepe’ Manegdeg III, member of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, resident of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

29 November 2005 – Killing of Jose ‘Pepe’ Manegdeg III, member of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Ilocos and Cordillera (RMP), former staff of the Regional Ecumenical Council in the Cordillera (RECCORD) and former volunteer of the NCCP Ecology Program. He was killed along the National Highway at Barangay Apatot, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur.

Junico Halem, member of UCCP, Aluran, Misamis Occidental.

6 December 2005 – Killing of Junico Halem, member of UCCP and Bayan Muna municipal coordinator in Aluran, Misamis Occidental.

Mateo Morales, lay worker, Religious of the Good Shepherd, Brgy. Dona Flavia, San Luis, Agusan Del Sur

24 January 2006 – Killing of Mateo Morales, lay worker for the Religious of the Good Shepherd’s Tribal Filipino Ministry, which assists Banwaon and Manobo tribal communities in Agusan del Sur. He was shot at his home in Brgy. Dona Flavia, San Luis, Agusan Del Sur province.

—- Abductions —-

Mabini Wandale, lay worker for the United Methodist Church (UMC) resident of Brgy. Pinagtuliran, Sta. Cruz, Mindoro Occidental

9 September 2004 – Abduction of Mabini Wandale, of Brgy. Pinagtuliran, Sta. Cruz, Mindoro Occidental, lay worker of the Pinagtuliran United Methodist Church (UMC); presently still missing.

—- Attempted Killings —-

Fr. Allan Caparro and Ms. Ailee Caparro, Brgy. Trinidad, Calbayog City, Western Samar

18 February 2005 – Attempted killing of Fr. Allan Caparro and his wife, Ms. Aileen Caparro of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Brgy. Trinidad, Calbayog City, Western Samar; Fr. Allan is a member of Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and PCPR Northern Samar.

Carlos Barsolazo, Charlie Gabriel and Ervina Domingo, Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac City, Tarlac

13 March 2005 – Coinciding with the killing of Fr. William Tadena (March 13, 2005) was the frustrated killing of his three companions – Carlos Barsolazo, Charlie Gabriel and Ervina Domingo – all church workers supporting the Hacienda Luisita workers.

Fr. Mario Quince, Iglesia Filipina Independiente, previous resident of Balaoang, Paniqui, Tarlac

1 April 2005 – Attempted killing of Fr. Mario Quince of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) church in Tarlac. Fr. Quince is also an active supporter of the Hacienda Luisita workers. He was formerly the parish priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente church in Balaoang, Paniqui, Tarlac. Afraid for his life, he was transferred to Binuangan, Obando Bulacan.

—- Death Threats, Harassment and Arrests —-

Church Organizations and Denominations

March 2005 –Armed Forces of the Philippines report lists church organizations as ‘enemies of the state’.

Fr. Allan Arcebuche, Franciscan priest; Br. Sam Salazar, Franciscan seminarian; Br. Nonoy Zaragosa, Carmelite seminarian and Edwin Egar, NCCP-Program on Faith, Witness and Service

7 April 2005 Violent dispersal of a peaceful assembly demanding to “Stop the Killings!” in front of Malate Church, Malate, Manila. Victims of serious physical injuries and illegal arrest included Fr. Allan Arcebuche, Franciscan priest and PCPR Chairperson, Br. Sam Salazar, Franciscan seminarian, Br. Nonoy Zaragosa, Carmelite seminarian and Edwin Egar of NCCP-Program on Faith, Witness and Service.

Fr. Romeo G. Tagud, Iglesia Filipina Independiente Parish Priest, Bago, Bacolod City.

21 April 2005 – Harassment and grave threat against Fr. Romeo G. Tagud, Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Parish Priest in Bago, Bacolod City.

Sr. Mary John Dumaog, a Good Shepherd Sister, San Luis, Agusan del Sur

May 2005 – Military filed rebellion charges against Sr. Mary John Dumaog, a Good Shepherd sister working among the 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.

Fr. Rolando de Leon, Roman Catholic Parish Priest, San Andres Apostol, Norzagaray, Bulacan

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; Spokesperson of the Alyansa ng Mamamayan para sa Pantaong Karapatan and Spokesperson of Bulacan Ecumenical Association of Church people Offing Nationalism (BEACON), a PCPR provincial chapter.

Bishop Alberto Ramento Iglesia Filipina Independiente; co-chair of the Ecumenical Bishops’ Forum

Bishop Alberto Ramento of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) has reportedly received death threats. He is the co-chair of the Ecumenical Bishops’ Forum and an active supporter of the workers at Hacienda Luisita.

Bro. Tony Bayod, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) and others, Claro M. Recto, Manila

October – December 2005 Violent dispersal and illegal arrest of church people and multi-sectoral groups during rallies protesting the government’s policy of Calibrated Preemptive Response (CPR), which is essentially a policy banning peaceful assembly. Bro. Tony Bayod, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) was among those illegally arrested at the October 4 “Walk for Democracy” rally towards Mendiola Bridge (now Don Chino Roces Bridge), Claro M. Recto, Manila.

Rev. Noli Saranilla, District Superintendent of the United Methodist Church,56A Lacao St., Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Rev. Emedio Equila, District Superintendent of the United Methodist Church, South Nueva Ecija District Ballarta Street, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija

March 2006 – Rev. Noli Saranilla, District Superintendent of the United Methodist Church in Palawan received death threats through text messages. Rev. Saranilla, like Rev. Emedio Equila Ballarta, is a UMC District Superintendent located in Nueva Ecija, and is reportedly in the military’s order of battle list. Rev. Saranilla was Rev. Raul Domingo’s colleague in KARAPATAN-Palawan, killed August 20, 2005.