“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40b)
The latest onslaught of cases filed against UCCP leaders for their ministry with Lumad in the sanctuary at UCCP-HARAN in Madapo Hills, Davao City, Mindanao is yet another example of the weaponization of the law under the Duterte administration. Since bank accounts of UCCP-HARAN were frozen a few weeks ago for supposed ‘terrorism financing,’ the reported warrants of arrest for Bishop Hamuel Tequis and others for various other infractions at the UCCP-HARAN lay bare the repressive state efforts to close this Church ministry and force another displacement of Lumad that they view as critics of the Duterte administration.
The Promotion of Church People’s Response stands in solidarity with the UCCP and the affected Lumad to call for peace-building and healthy resolution of any identified weaknesses in the administration of the UCCP-HARAN ministry with displaced Lumad. We stand firmly on the imperatives of Christian faith that guide the mission and ministries of Bishop Hamuel Tequis and other leaders of the UCCP. Furthermore, we sound the alarm on these latest efforts to label as ‘terrorism’ what is clearly Church ministry; this is another manifestation of the clear and present dangers for increased repression and oppression under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and other similar laws.
The UCCP-HARAN ministry with displaced Lumad has been an effort to care for the ‘least of these’ among our fellow Filipino brothers and sisters, as an expression of Christian faith. By shifting our lens to peacebuilding and upholding the civil liberties and human rights of the Lumad, we can instead seek to address the roots of armed conflict in the countryside. This is a more viable course of action, so that the displaced Lumad who sought sanctuary at the UCCP-HARAN would be able to return to their ancestral lands. In the meantime, we urge the Davao City government and other civil society groups to support the noble efforts of the UCCP to improve the sanctuary at UCCP-HARAN. Any deficit in compliance with regulations would simply be a reflection of the great need vs. limited resources, cultural differences, and much-desired improvements in social services.
The weaponization of the law against Church ministries and Church leaders exposes the callousness of this government, which seems to prefer repression and meting out more suffering, both on the marginalized and on those who try to help them. Thankfully, it also highlights the Christian values and hearts of service of those who dare to provide sanctuary and engage in mission, despite clear challenges and great need. These last years under the Duterte administration have exacerbated the ‘un-peace’ in Mindanao. We stand in solidarity with Bp. Hamuel Tequis and other leaders of UCCP: their charity, kindness, and services demonstrate hearts that are in the right place. Using a peacebuilding framework, the government could more productively engage any concerns on the UCCP-HARAN sanctuary. Instead, they have chosen to haul Church leaders into court, as if serving the poor is now criminal in the Philippines!
#StopTheAttacks #DefendTheDefenders
Hands Off Bishop Hamuel Tequis!
Reference:
Fr. Rolly de Leon and Rev. Mary Grace Masegman,
Co-Chairpersons
Promotion of Church People’s Response
