Church People – Workers Solidarity (CWS) Statement on the Bureau of Immigration’s cancellation of Otto de Vries’ permanent resident visa and red tagging of EILER
The Church People – Workers Solidarity (CWS) vehemently condemns the recent attack and harassment of missionary worker Otto de Vries. The Duterte government, through the Bureau of Immigration (BI) ordered the cancellation of Otto’s permanent resident visa and was consequently Ordered to Leave the country. The said Order was based upon the false and malicious allegations made by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) accusing Mr. Otto of engaging and actively “participating in protest rallies of Communist-Terrorist Groups (CTG) front organizations.”
Mr. Otto, a 62-year old Catholic missionary from the Netherlands came to the Philippines in May 1991 upon the invitation of the Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, Prelature of Infanta in order to do pastoral work. For years, Mr. Otto was involved in various NGOs and church-based organizations advancing the rights of the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. CWS can attest to fruitful missionary work among the workers in the Philippines. For almost three decades Mr. Otto lived in slum areas around Metro Manila in order to immerse himself in harsh conditions of the workers and urban poor. He worked as a welder, electrician, and maintenance of a steel factory in various factories. His experience in these workshops opened his eyes to the dehumanizing circumstances of contractual workers who receive below minimum wage and work in unsafe working environments.
Contrary to the allegations made by NICA, organizing workers’ associations and unions and educating them about their rights and welfare does not constitute acts of terrorism. Neither is doing research work about the concrete conditions of the working class an illegal political activity. Mr. Otto has long been an affiliate of the Ecumenical Institute for Labor and Research (EILER), a civil society organization that has advocated for labor rights and welfare for more than four decades. Just recently, EILER has become a victim of red-tagging by the Philippine government accusing EILER of being a “communist-terrorist” affiliate. As a convener and long-time partner of CWS, we stand in solidarity with EILER in condemning the recent attack and harassment of civil society organizations, labor organizations and church people. CWS stands with EILER in defending our democratic rights; we likewise support EILER’s advocacy of serving the workers. The recent saga of red-tagging, intimidation, and harassment of legal organizations have intensified in the wake of the Anti-terror Law (ATL). State forces, especially the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) have become more audacious in labeling civil society organizations and individuals as “communists” or “terrorists”. Indeed, ATL weaponizes the State to go after political dissenters. What is more alarming is the fact that red-tagging has become a prelude to State-sponsored killings.
Mr. Otto has exemplified, concretized, and lived out the mission of the church to become a Church of the Poor. Instead of harassing and intimidating church workers, CWS calls on the government to recognize the selfless contributions of Mr. Otto in uplifting the conditions of Filipino workers. Lastly, CWS urged the Bureau of Immigration to reconsider its Order to send the Dutch missionary out of the country.
to Red-tagging!
Hands off Otto! Hands off Labor Rights Defenders!
Stand with EILER! Hands off civil society organizations!
