By Ritche T. Salgado, O.Carm.
Photo of protester from Philstar.com/Deejae Dumlao. Photo of flag grabbed from the internet.
As the world suffers the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and as world leaders seek for a solution to help curb the rise in the transmission of SARS-coronavirus 2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the Philippines, political leaders are on the rush in passing an anti-terror law which human rights advocates label as a dangerous law that is bound to be misused and abused to silence dissent.
So what is this anti-terror bill and what are its implications to the church and to ordinary citizens?
The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 seeks to address the problem on terrorism that brings fear into the hearts of people. The objective is commendable as it seeks to ensure the security and bring peace of mind for all. However, the current bill that has been marked by the Office of the President as “urgent” and proposed by both Houses of Congress and now only needs the signature of the President, is not and do not address these concerns, rather it gives the government legal basis to abuse, threaten, and terrorize people who, ignited by the Holy Spirit, prophetically denounce the evils of our society and work towards the betterment of the lives of millions of people who are in the margins.
Late last year, 80-year old Sister Elenita Belardo, RGS, former national director of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), was slammed by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. with perjury after she and several others filed a petition for writ of amparo having been continuously red-tagged and harassed. The case was reduced to, apparently, issuing false statements with regards to the registration of the RMP with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Esperon is also vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), a government entity created by Duterte in 2018 to fight the 50-year old communist insurgency and is shamelessly involved in the red-tagging of alternative media, progressive organizations, personalities, and development workers.
As if prosecuting Sr. Elen was not enough, the government, through the Anti-Money Laundering Council froze the bank account of the RMP. The reason? Probable cause for terrorism financing, according to AMLC. RMP is the oldest mission partner of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines and they are working for the upliftment of the lives of people in the margins especially indigenous people, poor farmers, and other rural poor. They have been working in the margins since the 1960s and has helped countless of poor communities already.
We remember that in the middle of last year, four bishops, three priests, a religious brother and a number of other individuals including Vice President Leni Robredo were charged with sedition, allegedly plotting to overthrow the president. The charges for the bishops and one priest were dropped early this year for the reason that the complaints filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group lacked evidence.
In 2018, missionary nun, Sister Patricia Fox, NDS was deported by the government for speaking out for the welfare of the poorest of the poor in our country. This angered our president who ordered that she be investigated for engaging in political activities. Sr. Fox has been working to uplift the lives of the poorest of the poor in our country for almost 30 years.
These are but some of the abuses that this government has been doing to quell the prophetic voice of the church – a voice that only seeks to give a voice to the voiceless and bring to the fore the needs and concerns of the poorest of the poor. And even without the Anti-Terrorism Act that now awaits the signature of the President, the government has already misused and abused the power entrusted to them by the people of the Philippines, to protect its citizens, by harassing, threatening, and terrorizing the poor and those who work to uplift the lives of the poor, including church people.
While the government has no qualms in abusing their authority in order to silence church people, despite the influence that they have as public personalities, how much more the Juans who do not have the resources or the network that they can easily cling to for the protection of their rights. Does this mean that Juan who simply would complain of his dire situation could easily disappear with no trace? What protection would he have when, with this evil and vile law that the president is pushing to be passed, his rights enshrined in our Constitution and the dignity worthy of Him under God’s eyes is sought to be stripped from him?
Elijah openly and fearlessly denounced the idolatry of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel, as Christians it is our duty to be the voice of the voiceless and to defend the defenseless. The Filipino Catholic Bishops in the Second Plenary Council (PCP II, 1992) said that our prophetic role in society involves “enhancing, encouraging, supporting what is good in Philippine society; criticizing, condemning, doing all that it can to lessen what is bad in it.” And so, we “must act as conscience to society; more, it must help in the binding and healing of its wounds” (Acts and Decrees, 347).
Let us not allow this opportunity to pass, but let us be that voice in the wilderness that cries out against this evil, vile, and unjust policy that seeks to deny our people of its freedom, its independence.
And so collectively, with one deafening voice, let all peace loving Christians say, #JunkTerrorBill now!
May the spirit of father Elijah ignite our zeal to be zealous for our Lord God of love and peace.
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Br. Ritche is the director of the Carmelite Center for Social and Pastoral Communications.
DISCLAIMER: Views expressed in this article is solely that of the author and does not in any way represent the opinion or position of this website, the owner of this website or of the Order of Carmelites in the Philippines.