Legal Suit Against Former Philippines President
Philippines Press Statement regarding legal suit filed
against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Website: www.uccp.org.ph
June 16, 2011
Press Statement
Arroyo Had Command Responsibility of AFP,
Impunity Must End!
The United Church of
Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) is committed to ending the culture and climate
of impunity in the Philippines. To this
end, today we file a legal suit against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. While Arroyo was President and of the
Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
numerous Church Pastors and Church leaders were either been liquidated,
harassed, unlawfully, detained or tortured with impunity, by military agents
and operatives who, by law, were then all under the ultimate control and
command responsibility of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Representing UCCP as General Secretary, Bishop
Reuel Norman O. Marigza joins with six UCCP families as plaintiffs against
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for damages to the Church and Co-Plaintiffs Human Rights
Violations Victims. Gloria Arroyo and the military agents for whom
she was responsible must be held accountable for the injustice they have
exacted on the Church and the Filipino people.
The courageous persons that unites in this action
represent:
·
Joel Baclao,
UCCP Coordinator of Disaster Relief Program “Andurog-Bicol” at the time he
was extra-judicially killed on November 10, 2004
·
Rev. Edison
Lapuz, Conference Minister of the Northeastern Leyte Conference at the time he was extra-judicially killed on May 12,
2005.
·
Pastor Andy
Pawican, Licentiate Pastor assigned to UCCP congregation in Pantabangan at the time he was extra-judicially killed on May 21,
2006
·
Rev. Raul
Domingo, Deputy Conference Minister of Palawan Associate Conference at the time he was extra-judicially killed on August
20, 2005
·
Noel “Noli”
Capulong, Chair of UCCP’s Christian Witness and Service Program in Calamba at the time he was extra-judicially killed on May 27,
2006
·
and representing
himself, Pastor Berlin Guerrero, Licentiate Pastor of Northeast Southern Tagalog
Conference, who was abducted, illegally detained and tortured on May
27, 2007.
From over one thousand documented Human Rights
Violations under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, more
than 18 persons killed extra-judicially, 1 person disappeared and believed
killed, 3 persons ambushed and wounded, and at least 4 persons abducted, illegally
detained and tortured from the UCCP.
As the United Church
of Christ in the Philippines, we take action against the relentless persecution
and brutalization of the Church, especially being labeled as “ENEMY OF THE
STATE” through various counter-insurgency operation plans of the military
establishment. This false and malicious
tagging has unjustly permitted for UCCP persons to be “neutralized” in the name
of so-called national security,
Not only has then
President and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo not been prosecuted for the staggering number of extra-judicial
killings and human rights violations under her command, but neither have any of
the actual military perpetrators been brought to justice. We seek justice for
the surviving families of UCCP ordained ministers, pastors, lay leaders and
members who had been liquidated through extra-judicial killing as well as those
who had been ambushed and wounded, harassed, tortured and illegally detained
with impunity.
We covet the prayers
and solidarity support of the Filipino people as we take this action to break
the culture and climate of impunity in the Philippines and pursue justice for
the victims of human rights violations.
Bishop Reuel N.O. Marigza, General Secretary (Contact through Liaison: Rebecca
0919-828-9514)
Quadrennial Theme: “Discerning and Obeying God’s
Will in these Critical Times”
Member: National Council of Churches in the Philippines l Christian Conference of Asia l World Council of Churches l World Alliance of Reformed Churches
(Presbyterian and Congregational) l World Methodist Council l Christian Peace Conference l United Evangelical Mission (UEM)
LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE OF ASIA
June 21, 2011
Bishop Reuel Norman O. Marigza
General Secretary
United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Dear Bishop Marigza,
I write this on behalf of the Member Churches and Member Councils of the Christian Conference of Asia, conveying our prayers and solidarity as you embark on a legal suit against the Government of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on alleged cases of killings and disappearances during her term as President of the Republic of the Philippines and Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces.
From its member churches in the Philippines, the CCA has kept a regular briefing watch on cases of human rights violations committed against innocent civilians. The United Church of Christ in the Philippines claims that with more than 1,000 documented extra-judicial killings under the Arroyo Dispensation at least four persons were abducted, tortured or illegally detained from among UCCP pastors and leaders. These have fortified a culture and climate of impunity in the country.
The labeling of the UCCP as an ‘enemy of the state’ through various counter-insurgency plans of the military establishment has led to relentless persecution and suffering among church people in the Philippines.
CCA members offer their prayerful support to the UCCP as it commits to the defense of people’s rights whenever these rights are violated. We believe every time the right to life and all the rights that inhere to human dignity are violated, God’s purpose for creation and fullness of life is denied. CCA stands with the UCCP and all its member churches in the Philippines in their defense of human rights and their witness to peace based on justice. We believe that the UCCP filed a legal suit against the Office of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as an affirmation and an act of faith in Jesus Christ who on entering Jerusalem declared, “I tell you (Pharisees), if they (my disciples) keep quiet even the stones will cry out”. (Luke 19:40)
Faithfully yours,
REV. DR. HENRIETTE HUTABARAT-LEBANG
General Secretary
Cc: CCA Officers and General Committee Members
CCA Member Churches and Councils Ecumenical Partners