March 10, 2021
QUO USQUE TANDEM, CATILINA, ABUTERE PATIENTIA NOSTRA
(How long, O Catiline, will you abuse our patience?)
A Statement of Concern of the Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace on the Killings in the Philippines
Dear fellow Filipinos, our brother Bishops, and our political leaders,
I was unable to sleep last night fully disturbed by the killings on Sunday, March 7, 2021, and the arbitrary executions before that. Then, I was alarmed by the realization that violence, which was incited at first by harmful, pervasive and deeply damaging rhetoric of the government’s highest officials, has become a daily fixture in the Philippine society.
Everything seemed to be fixed by the barrel of a gun. Insurgency and terrorism are equated to activism, defense of human and nature’s rights, and the call to respect freedom of speech, and the right to selfdetermination.
We have seen no government, after the Marcos dictatorship, such as this one urging openly and repetitively the military and the police to “kill, kill, kill.” But what is more dangerous to my mind is the fact that seemingly, we have grown to be accustomed to tolerating this blatant disregard to the rule of law, by disrespecting the integrity of public office.
For almost five years we have let our leaders take command of our collective silence. They interpreted our inaction and passive nature as explicit permission to stir unlawful behavior as long as it is covered by legal orders and memorandum.
The quote from Cicero’s first speech against Catiline in 63 BC detailing conspiracy, abuse of power and reign of impunity still holds true in our present political environment: “When, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now?”
But we must also be asking ourselves: “Quousque nos tacemus?” How long will we be silent in the face of threats and harassments, of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings, of red-tagging and arbitrary detentions.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights have spoken for us. The farmers in Negros, the Tumandok IP leaders in Capiz, and the activists in Southern Tagalog have died already fighting for their cause. So what about us? What is our conscience telling us? If you are disturbed as much as I was, now is the time to create a culture of peace. Let’s start within each Filipino family.
May the Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for us. Amen.
Your servant,
Bishop Jose Colin M. Bagaforo
National Director, Caritas Philippines
Bishop, Diocese of Kidapawan
