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Mindanao IPs mourn death of “Fr. Pops”, missionary to the Lumads, hold Aquino accountable

ICHRP Secretariat
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PRESS STATEMENT – It is a great tragedy and irony that during the indigenous peoples month of October, a great advocate of the Lumads has been ruthlessly shot and killed.

Fr. Fausto Tentorio, PIME, Italian priest and missionary to the lumad tribes of Arakan Valley, died of multiple gunshot wounds this morning, October 17, as he was preparing to go to a clergy meeting in Kidapawan City.  Initial reports of his death said the assailant is a helmet-wearing, motorcycle-riding gunman, typical of the military death squads that tainted the Arroyo regime.   Kusog sa Katawhang Lumad (KALUMARAN) holds responsible the Oplan Bayanihan of President Aquino as the motivating force behind Fr. Tentorio’s death.  Fr. Pops, as he was fondly called, had criticized the military for its operations in the community he embraced, and pronounced the “peace and development” programs in Arakan Valley as contrary to the aspirations of the people.

Fr. Pops worked with local indigenous peoples organizations to build a school for Lumad youth in Arakan Valley and develop the local economy through sustainable agriculture.  Tinananon-Kulamanon Lumadnong Panaghiusa (TIKULPA), a local organization which he and his staff have supported through capacity building programs, has stood firm against agri-business plantations and other corporate business interests in the area.    His work has brought ire among local tribal dealers and government officials who want to reap profits from the ancestral domain of the Manobo and other tribes in the area.  In 2003, Fr. Pops was hunted down by Bagani paramilitaries in Kitaotao, Bukidnon, but he was shielded by the community and the threat was deterred.

The death of Fr. Pops is a continuation of the reign of terror in Lumad communities that began under the Marcos regime and has persisted through subsequent presidencies.  Like his mother, Noynoy Aquino is pursuing a low-intensity conflict strategy against those individuals and communities that work for alternative, community-centered forms of development preventing the entrance of foreign capital and big business in ancestral domain areas and rural communities.    Fr. Pops death was preceded this year by the deaths of Lumad Higaonon leader Datu Lapugotan and his nephew Solte San-ogan in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, as well as the deaths of Jimmy Arion, Nicomedes de la Peña, Sr., Nicomedes de la Peña, Jr., and Ruben Gatong in San Fernando, Bukidnon.    Lumad paramilitary groups formed and supported by the Armed Forces of the Philippines are responsible for their deaths.

KALUMARAN condemns the killing of Fr. Fausto Tentorio and holds the Aquino regime accountable for this crime.  The reign of impunity must come to an end!

Reference: Monico Cayog, Chairperson 09995699612

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RURAL MISSIONARIES OF THE PHILIPPINES-Northern Mindanao Sub-Region (RMP-NMR)
P.O. Box 41324, 9200 Iligan City, PHILIPPINES
T/F: +63 223 5179  E: rmpnmr@gmail.com  W: www.rmp-nmr.org

Another Italian priest gunned down in North Cotabato

ICHRP Secretariat
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DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/17 October) – An Italian priest who had been serving Mindanao since 1978 and was head of the Tribal Filipinos Apostolate of the Diocese of Kidapawan, was gunned down at around 8:30 Monday morningjust as he was preparing to leave his convent in Arakan Valley, North Cotabato, for the 9 a.m. Presbyterium in Kidapawan City.

Bishop Romulo dela Cruz told MindaNews Fr. Fausto Tentorio, PIME, parish priest of Arakan Valley, was hit on the left side of his head, chest and side while in his vehicle, preparing to drive for Kidapawan City. He said reports reaching him indicated there were two gunmen within the perimeter of the convent.

Dela Cruz said Tentorio was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Medical Speicalists Hospital in neighboring Antipas town at around 9:05 a.m. The bishop, who rushed to the hospital told MindaNews they were bringing Fr. Tentorio’s remains to Arakan Valley where the wake will be held for two nights before transferring to Kidapawan City.

Tentorio is the third Italian PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) priest gunned down in Mindanao but the second in the Dicoese of Kidapawan. Fr. Tullio Favali was gunned down by a paramilitary group led by Nortberto Manero on April 15, 1985 while Fr. Salvador Carzedda was gunned down in Zamboanga City on March 20, 1992 by two men on a motorbike who overtook the vehicle he was driving.

Fr. Tentorio, or Fr. Pops, as he was fondly called, arrived in the Philippines in 1978 and was first assigned in Ayala, Archdiocese of Zamboanga, for two years. He was assigned to the Diocese of Kidapawan in 1980 and was stationed as mission administrator in the parish of Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, a parish comprising Lumads (indigenous peoples), Muslims and settlers.

According to the website of the PIME, Fr. Tentorio was transferred to the mission station of Arakan in 1985.
“In his pastoral ministry, Fr. Tentorio gave special focus on the organization of and support for the indigenous tribes collectively known as the lumad. They are among the poor and exploited in his parish. It is necessary to organize them and provide them with opportunities for a better future through education, livelihood capabilities and agricultural enhancement right in their own home environment,” the website said.

Fr. Tentorio experienced a near-death experience on October 6, 2003 during one of his visits to the Lumads of Kitaotao, Bukidnon, portions of which are part of the parish of Arakan.

There, Fr. Tentorio had organized the tribal organization called the Tinananon-Kulamanon Lumadnong Panaghiusa or TIKULPA.

He left the parish of Arakan at 8 a.m. with four staffmembers, to visit the Lumads in Kitaotao. “After two hours of motorcycle and horseback riding, we reached New Kabalantian, Kitao-tao, Bukidnon where some people approached me and told me that armed men were waiting for me in Barangay Sagundanon, Kitao-tao, Bukidnon, three kilometers ahead where we were supposed to pass. They told me that these men belong to the group called Bagani, that they come from outside the area, and that their intention was to harm me, specifically by throwing hand grenades at me while I am passing by,” Fr. Tentorio said in his account of the incident in the PIME website.

“When night came, at around 7: 00 o ‘clock, I went to sleep in a small lumad hut with around 15 people. At about 7: 30 p,m. the people spotted few Bagani approaching the village, guided by Tata and Abing Gawilan, the sons of the kagawad who told me that there was nothing to worry about. They went straight to the hut that was next to where we were and asked information about Isidro Indao (vice chair of Tikulpa) and his whereabouts,” he wrote.

The armed men also asked where Fr. Tentorio was. The villagers denied he was around and asked the armed men why they were looking for the priest. “Will you kill him?”

One of the Bagani members reportedly replied, “No, we will just arrest him and bring him to our superior.”

“Worried of the possible consequences, the people denied to them that I was there. They told me and my companions to stay quiet in the house and hide there because the Bagani were looking for me. We decided to listen to their advice because to try to run would have been too dangerous. We did not know how many of them were there, and where they were hiding,” the priest wrote.
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Underscoring the culture of impunity sweeping the rural areas of Mindanao, Fr. Faustino “Father Pops” Tenorio, an Italian PIME priest, was gunned down this morning in his convent.

Fr. Pops has been an active advocate for the rights of the indigenous peoples. Serving in  the Tribal Filipinos Apostolate of the Diocese of Kidapawan, he is also one of RMP’s (Rural Missionaries of the Philippines) most active priest, serving as the Alternate Sub-Regional Coordinator for Southern Mindanao.

Justice for Fr. Pops! Condemn human rights violations and impunity in the rural areas of Mindanao!

RURAL MISSIONARIES OF THE PHILIPPINES-Northern Mindanao Sub-Region (RMP-NMR)
P.O. Box 41324, 9200 Iligan City, PHILIPPINES
T/F: +63 223 5179  E: rmpnmr@gmail.com  W: www.rmp-nmr.org

End Impunity Alliance condemns killing of Italian priest in North Cotabato

ICHRP Secretariat
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PRESS RELEASE – The human rights network End Impunity Alliance today condemned the most recent killing of Italian priest Fr. Fausto Tentorio, PIME, parish priest of Arakan Valley in North Cotabato and a known advocate of the rights of lumads and farmers in the province.

According to initial news reports, Fr. Tentorio, who had been serving Mindanao since 1978  and was head of the Tribal Filipinos Apostolate of the Diocese of Kidapawan, was gunned down at around 8:30 Monday morning just as he was preparing to leave his convent in Arakan Valley, North Cotabato, for the 9 a.m.  clergy meeting in Kidapawan City.

“We extend our deepest condolences for the love ones of Fr. Tentorio and for all the people whose lives were touched by him. We condemn in highest terms the recent killing of a beloved, committed and pro-poor priest who has served our poor kababayans in Mindanao, despite several threats to his life. His public position against big corporate mining in the province and his advocacy for the rights of farmers and indigenous peoples is a testament to his selflessness,” Cristina Palabay, End Impunity Alliance convenor, said.

Fr. Tentorio was a compatriot of Fr. Tulio Favali, who was murderd in 1985 in Tulunan town by the vigilante group Ilaga, led by Norberto Manero. Fr. Tentorio experienced a near-death experience on October 6, 2003 during one of his visits to the Lumads of Kitaotao, Bukidnon, portions of which are part of the parish of Arakan, where he had organized the tribal organization called the Tinananon-Kulamanon Lumadnong Panaghiusa or TIKULPA.

Fr. Tentorio’s killing came after the declaration of Major General Jorge Segovia, 10th Infantry Division commander, that Southern Mindanao is the new epicenter of the New People’s Army.

“Justice should be immediately rendered for Fr. Tentorio and all victims of summary executions. Such climate of impunity exists to this day, thus victimizing anti-mining advocates such as Fr. Tentorio because of the non-prosecution of those accountable for the previous cases of human rights violations and the existing counter-insurgency plan Oplan Bayamihan of the Aquino administration,” Palabay said. #

References: Cristina Palabay, Convenor, End Impunity Alliance (0917-5003879)
Angge Santos, Media Liaison, End Impunity Alliance (0915-2117610)

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Italian priest shot dead in North Cotabato

Italian priest shot dead in North Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines—A still unidentified man shot dead Italian priest Fausto Tentorio in Arakan town in North Cotabato on Monday morning, a local official said.

Arakan Councilor Leonardo Reovoca said Fr. Tentorio, parish priest of Arakan town, was about to open his vehicle when a man shot him shortly before 8 a.m.

Tentorio was to attend a clergy meeting in Kidapawan City when he was shot by the helmet-wearing man.

The priest was immediately brought to the Antipas Medical Specialist but was declared dead.

Reovoca said some parish workers rushed out when they heard a series of shots and noticed the gunman walking to a waiting motorcycle.

“I cannot imagine it would happen to him. We don’t have an idea as to the motive of the killing,” Reovoca said.#

SELDA hits criminalization of political offenses, calls for release of all political prisoners

ICHRP Secretariat
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SELDA hits criminalization of political offenses, calls for release of all political prisoners

PRESS RELEASE – The Samahan ng mga Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) today said that the statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines denying the existence of political prisoners and branding them as “criminals” shows the “total disregard for human rights and violation of the military and the GPH of the standing agreements and jurisprudence prohibiting the criminalization of political offenses.”

Angie Ipong, SELDA secretary general, said that the AFP is actually admitting that it has violated Part III Article 6 of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) signed by both the government and the National Democratic Front where the GPH should “abide by its doctrine laid down in People vs. Hernandez (99 Phil. 515, July 18, 1956), as further elaborated in People vs. Geronimo (100 Phil. 90, October 13, 1956), and shall forthwith review the cases of all prisoners or detainees who have been charged, detained, or convicted contrary to this doctrine, and shall immediately release them.”

The Hernandez doctrine is an established court ruling that political offenders or those suspected of political crimes should not be charged, detained nor convicted of common crimes.

Reports from Karapatan show that out of 360 political prisoners as of August 2011, at least 303 (84.17 %) of them have been charged with common crimes alone. Only 15 of them (4.17 %) have been charged with rebellion. Twenty others have been charged with common crimes in addition to rebellion, two were charged with “terrorism” while there is no sufficient available data for the rest of the twenty.

“I myself am a victim of this violation under the Arroyo government, when I was abducted, tortured, detained and accused of being a top CPP-NPA leader while being charged with criminal cases such as double murder, double attempted murder and arson. These trumped up and fabricated charges were made to keep me behind bars for six years until the charges were dropped by the courts because of lack of evidence and credible witnesses by the AFP,” Ipong explained.

Branding political prisoners as criminals and heaping upon them common crime charges conveniently hide  the political nature of their acts; allow the government to shamelessly declare them as common criminals not motivated by a higher goal, thereby violating these prisoners’ rights even more, Ipong stated.

SELDA also welcomed House resolution 1810 filed yesterday by partylist lawmakers led by Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares urging the House Committee on Human Rights and the Committee on Justice to investigate the continuous and rampant filing of false and trumped up criminal charges against persons who are politically critical of the government.

What the government is doing in criminalizing political actions is no different from what the US colonial powers did a century ago to patriotic Filipinos fighting for independence.  The American colonizers branded as “bandits, brigands and robbers” such nationalists as Macario Sakay and his men who were resisting imperial domination. “We hope that this government learn from history and stop the practice of discrediting patriots as ordinary criminals,” Ipong concluded.###

Reference: Angie Ipong, Secretary General, SELDA (0949-9587373)

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The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) is an organization of former political prisoners in the Philippines. Founded on December 4, 1984, SELDA was initiated by newly-released political prisoners of the martial law period.  SELDA’s primary task is to work for the release of all political prisoners and to see to it that humane treatment of those who are still in detention are complied with by the Philippine authorities.  SELDA advocates justice for current and former political prisoners.  It calls for the mobilisation of resources in support of political prisoners, former detainees and their families.  It carries out legislative advocacy for the indemnification and rehabilitation of political prisoners. SELDA goes into partnership and builds solidarity with concerned individuals and groups for the freedom and welfare of political prisoners and all victims of tyranny.

SELDA National Office: 2/F, Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin corner Matatag Streets,
Brgy. Central District, Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
Tel: 632-4342837 Fax: 632-4354146
Email: selda.phils@gmail.com, selda_phil@yahoo.com.ph Web: www.seldapilipinas.wordpress.com

SELDA to Pnoy: Pass the Marcos victims’ compensation bill now

ICHRP Secretariat
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SELDA to Pnoy: Pass the Marcos victims’ compensation bill now

PRESS RELEASE- Reacting to the President’s statement on the issue of former dictator Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, SELDA Chairperson Marie Hilao Enriquez says, “It’s about time that the President has given his position on the issue.  His pronouncements, though belated, sounds pretty good for victims of martial law like us, but he should not have wasted the Vice President’s time nor even waited for us to raise our fists and voices again in the first place just to let him know that victims have not even been served justice to this day!  He, of all people, must know this and as President, who must lead the nation, should have shown the correct position in the first place!”

The Samahan ng Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA), an organization of former political prisoners established during Martial Law, also asserts that the President’s pronouncements must now be matched by concrete deeds as SELDA renewed the appeal for the immediate passage of the Marcos Victims Compensation Bill in the wake of Pres. Noynoy Aquino’s acknowledgement that justice has not been rendered to the victims of Martial Law.

“It has been twenty five years since the dictator Marcos was ousted by people power and nineteen years after the landmark decision by the US Court granting the long-sought justice for the 9,539 victims of martial law and an award for reparation. But the Philippine government has yet to reciprocate the said decision rendering justice for the martial law victims by passing a law will give justice and indemnification for the victims,” said Marie Hilao Enriquez, chairperson of SELDA, and daughter of one of the original plaintiffs in the class suit filed against the Marcoses.

A class action suit for 10,000 victims was initiated and filed by SELDA before the US Federal District Court System on April 7, 1986. The court ruled against the Marcos family on Sept. 22, 1992, finding the dictator guilty of crimes against humanity. The court ordered the Marcos family to pay an exemplary damages of US 1.9 billion and later, compensatory damages of US$776 million to the victims.

Enriquez urged Aquino and both houses of Congress to accelerate the passage of the pending measures, as SELDA also expressed support for the Substitute Bill in the House of Representatives, while they have raised serious questions and objections with regards the Substitute Bill in the Senate.

“The process of seeking justice and reparation is so tedious and extremely difficult for the victims of martial rule. The victims are now very old, sickly and dying, but the struggle for justice has no rest. Putting closure to a dark portion of the nation’s history must include rendering justice to victims of that era,” she concluded.#

Reference: Marie Hilao Enriquez, Chairperson, SELDA (0917-5616800)

PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org

Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
2nd Flr. Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin corner Matatag Sts., Central District
Diliman, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES 1101
Telefax: (+63 2) 4354146
Web: http://www.karapatan.org

KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties.  It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.

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