Philippine Priest Receives Death Threats – Coworkers Killed

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

Global Ministries missionary Bruce Van Voorhis of the Asian Human Rights Commission shares this information about threats against another church worker in the Philippines

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the alleged surveillance and intimidation of a pastor, Rev. Fr. Eleuterio “Terry” J. Revollido, Chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – BAYAN (New Patriotic Alliance) in Pangasinan province, the Philippines. His organisation has been working for marginalised sectors of society in the area and in particular has worked for several years against the construction of the biggest dam in Asia, the San Roque Dam Multi-Purpose Project in San Manuel, Pangasinan. Fr. Terry is concerned for his security after the killings of his organisation’s vice chairman, Mariano Sepnio and General Secreary, Mr. Jose Doton by unknown armed men, which separately took place on 9 March 2006 and 16 May 2006. He believes that there is a great danger that he may be abducted or assassinated due to his activities as the chairman of BAYAN. The AHRC shares this belief and is highly concerned for the welfare of Fr. Terry.

The facts described below are based on the statement of Fr. Terry submitted to the AHRC.

Rev. Fr. Eleuterio “Terry” J. Revollido is chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – BAYAN (New Patriotic Alliance) in Pangasinan province, rector of Aglipay Central Theological Seminary (ACTS) of the Philippine Independent Church (PIC), Urdaneta City, Pangasinan and chairperson of the Council of Priests, PIC. BAYAN-Pangasinan is an umbrella organisation working for the rights of peasants, workers, women, youth-students, drivers, urban poor, church people and professionals. One of the sensitive and crucial issues that BAYAN-Pangasinan has been campaigning for years on is its campaign against the construction of a huge dam named San Roque Dam Multi-Purpose Project in San Manuel, Pangasinan. In 2000, a policeman, who happened to be Fr. Terry’s family friend and was assigned close to the Director of the Intelligence division of the Police provincial headquarter, informed his wife that Fr. Terry was under surveillance because of his activities against the dam. At that time, Fr. Terry was the chairman of the Promotion of Church People’s Response, PCPR-Pangasinan. This policeman was killed by unknown persons in 2001.

Towards the end of 2005, Fr. Terry’s seminary janitor informed him that he was visited thrice by suspicious looking and well-built persons asking about the activities and personalities of those coming and going to the seminary. He was not in his house on the third time they returned, but according to his son they forced themselves inside the house potentially with the plan of abducting his father because he refused to follow what they wanted. According to the son, they were wearing “boots and riding in a white van”. Later Fr. Terry’s seminary assisted the family to construct a steel fence in their house for security reasons.

Beginning in 2006 one ACTS lecturer was allegedly approached by an intelligence person presenting himself as the “case-handler” of Pangasinan and allegedly working with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA). He even boasted of his direct line to Malacanang (presidential house) and having millions in their purse. She was visited twice by this person who promised a “cover” and money if she would give information about what was happening in the seminary and the activities of Fr. Terry. This agent happened to be the husband of her auntie. She refused the offer and is now also afraid of her safety because she is presently the treasurer of PCPR-Pangasinan. Even though she made a written report regarding this experience, she is afraid of making it to the public due to fear for her security.

Meanwhile, Fr. Terry’s vice chairman Mr. Mariano Sepnio was killed on 9 March 2006 by two armed motorcycle riding men. Fr. Terry and his colleagues were also informed by their neighbours and confirmed by some seminarians that there were suspicious looking men on motorcycles who were buying cigarettes in the nearby store but not removing their helmets and seemed to be scanning the seminary. There were also unusual movements of men for successive nights who spent some hours just standing close to the seminary.

Moreover, Fr. Terry’s General Secretary, Mr. Jose Doton was ambushed and killed on 16 May 2006 following Mr. Sepnio’s killing. Fr. Terry also reported that a suspicious looking man appeared at his seminary and asked for help. Because it was vacation time, only a few people were in residence and the man went up to the second floor of the main building and knocked on every door of the staff houses which was unusual for a man asking for money for the alleged “burial of his brother”. On the afternoon of the same day, while waiting for a jeep in front of the seminary, one of the male lecturers (the one who informed about the morning incident) was surprised to find another suspicious looking man, who slowed down his L300 Mitsubishi and keenly viewed him from a distance. Only after passing in front of him did the man accelerate off in his vehicle. The lecturer said that the vehicle had a logo of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at the back.

Fr. Terry made written incident reports on all the events and submitted it to the PCPR-national, HR desks and to the bishops of the Church. The Supreme Council of Bishops then released a Pastoral Letter condemning the political killings and the surveillance and harassments being experienced by five PIC clergy, including Fr. Terry during their 8 May 2006 meeting. Aside from some security measures being devised in the seminary, personal security measures are also being followed. However, Fr. Terry is still afraid of his security and worries about his possible abduction due to his activities surrounding the rights of people.

The AHRC issues this appeal as an early warning for the possible abduction or assassination of Fr. Terry. We urge you to write to Philippine authorities regarding this matter.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the relevant authorities listed below and urge them to immediately conduct an impartial and thorough inquiry into the alleged surveillance and intimidation of Fr. Terry and his colleagues as well as into the killings of his two colleagues, Mr. Mariano Sepnio and Mr. Jose Doton. Please also urge them to immediately take measures to provide effective protection to Fr. Terry and his colleagues.

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Suggested letter:

Dear __________,

PHILIPPINES: Alleged surveillance and intimidation of a pastor in Pangasinan

Name of the victim: Rev. Fr. Eleuterio “Terry” J. Revollido, chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – BAYAN (New Patriotic Alliance) in Pangasinan province; rector of Aglipay Central Theological Seminary (ACTS) of the Philippine Independent Church (PIC), Urdaneta City, Pangasinan and chairperson of the Council of Priests, PIC

Rev. Fr. Eleuterio “Terry” J. Revollido, chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – BAYAN (New Patriotic Alliance) in Pangasinan province; rector of Aglipay Central Theological Seminary (ACTS) of the Philippine Independent Church (PIC), Urdaneta City, Pangasinan and chairperson of the Council of Priests, PIC

Period of alleged surveillance and intimidation: The first instance was in the middle of 2000; the second time towards the end of 2005 and the third time in the beginning of February until May 2006. These are the incidents known of and there may be more.

The first instance was in the middle of 2000; the second time towards the end of 2005 and the third time in the beginning of February until May 2006. These are the incidents known of and there may be more.

Place of incidents: ACTS, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

ACTS, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

Those allegedly responsible: Military or police intelligence units from the national and provincial levels

Military or police intelligence units from the national and provincial levels

Potential motives: To intimidate and to gather information on Fr. Terry’s activities as chairman of the BAYAN or maybe to possibly abduct or assassinate him as experienced by his two colleagues who were summarily executed (Mr. Mariano Sepnio, Vice-Chairman on 9 March 2006 and Mr. Jose Doton, General Secretary on 16 May 2006).

To intimidate and to gather information on Fr. Terry’s activities as chairman of the BAYAN or maybe to possibly abduct or assassinate him as experienced by his two colleagues who were summarily executed (Mr. Mariano Sepnio, Vice-Chairman on 9 March 2006 and Mr. Jose Doton, General Secretary on 16 May 2006).

I am writing to express my deep concern about the security of Rev. Fr. Eleuterio “Terry” J. Revollido, chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – BAYAN (New Patriotic Alliance) in Pangasinan province and rector of Aglipay Central Theological Seminary (ACTS) of the Philippine Independent Church (PIC), Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.

According to the information I have received, he is under alleged surveillance and being intimidated by the military or police intelligence units from the national and provincial levels. The detailed incidents I have been informed of are as follows.

1. In 2000, a policeman, who happened to be Fr. Terry’s family friend and was assigned close to the Director of the Intelligence division of the Police provincial headquarter, informed his wife that Fr. Terry was under surveillance because of his activities against San Roque Dam Multi-Purpose Project in San Manuel, Pangasinan. At that time, Fr. Terry was the chairman of Promotion of Church People’s Response, PCPR-Pangasinan. The policeman was killed by unknown persons in 2001.

2. Towards the end of 2005, Fr. Terry’s seminary janitor was reportedly visited thrice by suspicious looking and well-built persons asking about the activities and personalities of those coming and going to the seminary. During the third visit they forcibly entered the janitor’s house potentially with the plan of abducting him because he refused to follow what they wanted. Fortunately, he was not present at that time.

3. Beginning in 2006, one ACTS lecturer was allegedly approached by an intelligence person presenting himself as the “case-handler” of Pangasinan and allegedly working with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA). He even boasted of his direct line to Malacanang (presidential house) and having millions in their purse. She was visited twice by this person who promised a “cover” and money if she would give information about what was happening in the seminary and the activities of Fr. Terry. She refused the offer and is now also afraid of her safety because she is presently the treasurer of PCPR-Pangasinan.

4. Fr. Terry’s vice chairman Mr. Mariano Sepnio was killed on 9 March 2006 by two armed motorcycle riding men. Fr. Terry’s General Secretary, Mr. Jose Doton was ambushed and killed on 16 May 2006 following Mr. Sepnio’s killing.

5. Fr. Terry was also informed by the neighbours that there were suspicious looking men on motorcycles seemingly scanning the seminary and that there was also unusual movements of men for successive nights who spent some hours standing close to the seminary. Fr. Terry also reported that a suspicious looking man recently appeared at his seminary and without informing them he secretly went up to the second floor of the main building and knocked on every door of the staff houses which was unusual behaviour for a man asking for help. Further, on the same afternoon, another suspicious looking man slowed down his L300 Mitsubishi and keenly viewed a seminary lecturer from a distance. Only after passing in front of him, did the man take off in his vehicle. The lecturer said that the vehicle had a logo of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at the back.

Due to these incidents, Fr. Terry is afraid of his security and worries about his possible abduction due to his activities for the rights of people. His concerns for his possible abduction or assassination are valid considering that his two colleagues have already been assassinated.

I am deeply concerned by the escalating number of extra-judicial killings in the Philippines and, the primary responsibility lies entirely with the state to stop to the killings. However, the Philippine government has barely indicated any practical measures in attempting to stop these killings. I therefore strongly urge you to take genuine measures to stop these killings and this should start with effective protection being afforded to persons like Fr. Terry and his colleagues. I also urge you to order an impartial and thorough inquiry into the killings of Mr. Mariano Sepnio and Mr. Jose Doton and the alleged surveillance and intimidation of Fr. Terry and his colleagues.

I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

—————————–

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Ms. Purificacion Quisumbing
Commissioner
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Email: drpvq@yahoo.com

2. Director General Oscar Calderon
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763

3. Mr. Raul Gonzalez
Secretary
Department of Justice
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
Email: sechbp@infocom.com.ph

4. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
Fax: +63 2 736 1010

5. Mr. Orlando Casimiro
Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and
Other Law Enforcement Offices
3rd Floor, Ombudsman Bldg., Agham Road
Diliman (1104) Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 926 9032
Fax: +63 2 926 7572

6. Mr. Stephen J. Toope
Chairperson
UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: + 41 22 917 9176
Fax: +41 22 917 9006

(ATTN: WORKING GROUP EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS)

Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
ahrchk@ahrchk.org
19/F, Go-Up Commercial Building,
998 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hongkong S.A.R.
Tel: +(852) – 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) – 2698-6367