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End the Culture of Impunity and Violations of Human Rights: Justice for Brother Benjamin Bayles and All Victims of Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances
"The wicked watch for the righteous and seek to kill them, but the Lord will not abandon them to their power.” (Psalm 37.32-33)
Today, as the Iglesia Filipina Independiente commemorates the first anniversary of the extrajudicial killing of Brother Benjamin Bayles, a lay minister of our Church who was slain a year ago, and in the spirit of the Executive Commission’s strong resolve to share its part in decisively addressing the ever-worsening human rights violations in the Philippines, we formally form the National Task Force Bayles.
In partnership with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) and the Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF), we envision the National Task Force Bayles as a church-based and ecumenical task force committed to battle against the prevailing climate of death and culture of impunity in our land.
We, in particular, commit ourselves to vigorously work for the judicial conviction of those behind the killing of Brother Benjamin Bayles. We firmly believe that the conviction of his killers, who are confessed members of the Philippine Army, will significantly contribute towards changes in the security policy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), end the culture of impunity and human right violations, and further encourage participation in the Filipino people’s struggle for justice and peace in our land.
In general, we commit ourselves for the thousands who were killed and abducted in the past decade, for the victims’ families who lost their fathers, mothers, children, sisters and brothers, for the victims of continuing human rights violations and those whose lives are constantly in danger because of their solidarity to the people and support to their aspirations for democracy.
We will, therefore, towards this end, undertake serious lobby efforts to various government agencies: the Department of Justice, the Commission on Human Rights, the Human Rights Committees of both the Senate and Congress, and to the Joint Monitoring Committee of the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines implementing the signed peace talks agreement on human rights. We will inform and reach out to statutory bodies, Churches, civil society, and national and international human rights organizations. We will exert every effort to bring before the international community the human right realities in the Philippines and to seek their support in the promotion of justice and peace, and human rights in the country.
We, as church people, strongly cry out against the killing of those who advocate for human rights and decry the injustice committed against them, and express our frustration over the indifference of President Benigno Aquino III to the victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. Injustice and impunity are idolatry before God; and today we dare say to those who show contempt to human life and violate human rights and dignity, your idolatry will soon come to an end. God will rise to defend the poor victims of your violent ways and wickedness. “The wicked watch for the righteous and seek to kill them, but the Lord will not abandon them to their power.” (Psalm 37.32-33)
We pray to God and seek that our collective pursuit for just peace in our land be a worthy offering to Him.
† BISHOP joselito t. cruz
Chairperson, National Task Force Bayles General Secretary, Iglesia Filipina Independiente 14th June 2011
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