Invitation: 15th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Death Penalty in the Philippines

Dear fellow youth ministers,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus!

This Thursday, June 24, is not only the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist but also the 15th anniversary of the signing of RA9346, which prohibited the death penalty in the Philippines.

May we extend these invitations to these two activities relevant to this significant occasion:

  • Thanksgiving Mass and Solidarity Gathering (June 24), organized by the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC)
  • Webinar (June 26) organized by the Coalition against Death Penalty (CADP)

Slots inside Zoom for both events are limited; if registration into Zoom is unsuccessful, then participation may also be via the Facebook Page of CADP, ECPPC or Youth Campaign against Death Penalty.

We trust that your respective youth ministries will work on being represented in these events, as the issue of the death penalty is something affecting our young people (whether as dependents of those in prison or as persons deprived of liberty themselves), and significant for our Christian faith, especially in the light of recent teachings from Pope Francis.

Thank you for your kind attention!

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Fr. CONEGUNDO B. GARGANTA
Executive Secretary

Statement on the 15th Anniversary of Republic Act 9346 (The Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2006)

The Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP-ECPPC) joins the Coalition Against the Death Penalty (CADP) in the joyful celebration of the 15th year of the abolition of the death penalty in the Philippines.

We at the CBCP-ECPPC maintain that no person is beyond reformation. Every person deserves a second chance in order to correct his/her wrongdoings.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis in his teachings, has constantly stressed that the taking away of life is inadmissible. Every person is valuable as he/she is created in the image and likeness of God.

Thus, we strongly and unequivocally oppose the move of the present Congress to restore the Death Penalty in our Justice system.

We maintain that the death penalty is violative of the inherent dignity of the human person. No person, no matter how evil he is perceived to be, is beyond redemption and reformation.

The death penalty will only mostly victimize the poor. Our past experiences show that most of those who were meted the death penalty were indigent and poor individuals, who simply could not afford quality legal representation to defend them before the courts.

Lastly, the death penalty cannot work in an imperfect judicial system like ours. Once carried out, the death sentence is irreversible, and there is no possibility for rectifying an erroneous judgment.

Let us instead continue affirming our Option for Life, and clamor for the State to pass laws which will make our criminal justice system more restorative and not merely punitive.

We challenge all sectors especially our youth to elect people who will rightfully serve the nation by championing the cause of life and fight the existing culture of death.

Manila, June 24, 2021

Sgd.

+JOEL Z. BAYLON, D.D.
Bishop of Legazpi
Chairman
CBCP-COMMISSION ON PRISON PASTORAL CARE (CBCP-ECPPC)

New Website of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

June 14, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The peace and love of the Lord!

The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has launched a new website on “Initiatives for the formation of the lay faithful” http://laityinvolved.org/ The website is a good resource for updating and improving the formation of our respective groups.

We encourage everyone to make use of this valuable tool for the formation and growth of our members.

Sincerely yours in the service of the Lord,

Noted by:

+ MOST REV. BRODERICK S. PABILLO, D.D.
Chairman CBCP-Episcopal Commission on the Laity

Stop targeting civilians in military operations

Statement by the Movement Against Tyranny
June 17, 2021

The Movement Against Tyranny expresses its grave concern on military operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) that appear to have targeted and killed at least six unarmed civilians in Masbate and Surigao del Sur in a span of a week.

The first incident is the June 8 killing of three alleged New People’s Army combatants in Masbate City who the military accused as being involved in the killing of the Absalon cousins last June 6. Reports gathered by human rights groups indicate that Ailyn Bulalacao, Ramon Brioso and Antonio Poligrates were ordinary farmers who were abducted from their houses on the night of June 7 and then turned out dead the next day after supposedly fighting it out with government troops.

Continue reading

Movement Against Tyranny decries Masbate killings

Statement by the Movement Against Tyranny
June 16, 2021

The Movement Against Tyranny joins other human rights advocates and concerned groups in deploring the killing of two civilians and wounding of several others by elements of the New People’s Army in Masbate last June 6. The killing of unarmed civilians and non- combatants, intentional or not, are violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and cannot be condoned. We earnestly await the result of the investigation being conducted by the party involved.

We extend our condolences to the Absalon family. As a matter of justice, those found responsible for the incident should be held to account and indemnification be provided for the deaths of the two civilians and injuries to others.

This incident is a stark reminder of the untoward effect of the long- running armed conflict on civilians and non-combatants. It moreover underscores the need and urgency of addressing all violations of IHL as well as human rights as a whole by the protagonists in the armed conflict through mutually agreed mechanisms as provided for in the GRP-NDFP Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). This unfortunate incident should not be allowed to lead to or be utilized for the further escalation of the violence, most especially leading to more civilian deaths.

Such tragedies will continue to happen unless all obstacles to resuming peace talks are removed and a political settlement is reached that addresses the roots of the armed conflict. Thus, we urge both parties to exert greater eforts to revive the peace talks.#

Ref.: Sr. Mary John Mananzan and Dr. Carol Araullo,
MAT co-convenors

Internatonal Criminal Court should pursue case against Duterte for crimes against humanity

Statement by the Movement Against Tyranny
June 15, 2021

The Movement Against Tyranny welcomes the filing of Internatonal Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of a request for authorizaton from the ICC pre-trial chamber to formally investigate the Duterte government for its crime against humanity of murder in relation to Pres. Duterte’s war on drugs.

This is one big step in the quest for justice for thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s brutal regime. It is a testament to the perseverance of the families of the victims, their lawyers, and all those who have dared to demand justice in these dark times.

We urge the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber to act favorably on Prosecutor Bensouda’s request so that the investgation can immediately proceed. This is of great urgency because the killings are ongoing, with Duterte continuing to give bloody orders to the police. The ICC should realize that the investgation can somehow put pressure on the perpetrators to stop the killings, which have now morphed into the wholesale murders of activists, government critics, and ordinary citizens tagged as communists and terrorists.

We demand no less than full cooperation from the Philippine authorities. Pres. Dutete cannot hide behind his self-serving withdrawal from the ICC as the crimes to be investigated happened when the Philippines was still a member of the Court.#

Ref.: Sr. Mary John Mananzan and Dr. Carol Araullo,
MAT co-convenors

Invitation to A Forum

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In line with the theme “Gifted to Give” during this year’s celebration of our 500YOC, may we forward and share with you this invitation from the CBCP-BEC commission under Bishop Joe Cabantan, D.D.

This “new way of being Church” is a gift to the Philippine Church. We have here the image of the Church as a community of believers, a community of disciples of Jesus who live in koinonia, in communion.

Please pass and share this invitation and link below to our fellow Laiko and together let us listen and learn how those in these BECs lived as a community of friends, sharing the word of God, sharing the bread of life, and sharing their material possessions, “so that no one was in need”.

Thank you very much,