This story was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 9, April 10-16, 2005

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

God’s ‘Apostles’ Under Siege

It has only been three weeks since one of their brethren was gunned down but four priests of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI or Philippine Independent Church) in Tarlac found themselves in danger of meeting the same fate. One of them in fact barely escaped an attack, proving that living the church’s teaching of helping the poor is risky in the Philippines.

BY DABET CASTAÑEDA
Bulatlat

PANIQUI, Tarlac – Fr. Mario Quince, parish priest of Barangay (village) Balaoang, this town, survived an assassination attempt just a few minutes past midnight last April 1 after attending the Passover Seder Celebration at the Aglipay Central Theological Seminary (ACTS) in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.

Together with three other Iglesia Filipina Indepediente (IFI) priests in Tarlac, Fr. Mario is a keen supporter of the striking workers of Hacienda Luisita and actively provides humanitarian services to other victims of human rights violations in their province.

In an interview with Bulatlat, he said it was exactly 12:45 a.m. when he arrived at the parish church alone. He parked his red jeep in front of the gate, left the vehicle’s engine and lights on and stepped out to open the gate. Realizing it was padlocked, Fr. Mario decided to climb the gate and enter through the bell tower’s window.

When he was about to enter the window, Fr. Mario said he saw three men on board a black motorcycle arrive in front of the church. One of the men stepped down, tried to get something from the right side of his waist and opened the door of the prelate’s jeep.

Judging that the men were after him, Fr. Mario crept inside the bell tower, passed by the kitchen and switched on the light downstairs. It was then that he heard three successive gunshots fired in front of the parish.

He then heard the motorcycle leave. To find out if the men had really left, he peeped from the window and saw two other men on board a tricycle arrive. The two men stayed in front of the parish for about five minutes and then left.

An unidentified IFI member who lives a few houses away from the church told Bulatlat that she was awakened by a tricycle that passed by her house. At about the same time, a similar vehicle arrived in front of the church. She said she even went outside to see where the vehicle was headed.

“Nakita ko yung tricycle na kulay pula, naka-parada sa harap ng parokya. May dalawang tao sa loob” (I saw a red tricycle parked in front of the church. There were two men inside), she said.

According to Fr. Maria, it took at least an hour before he could go outside and park his jeep in the garage.

Order of Battle

Five IFI priests in this province have reportedly been in the military’s Order of Battle (OB) since middle of last year. They are Fr. Mario, Fr. Greg Lacanaria, Fr. Marcial Bautista, Fr. William Tadena and Bishop Alberto Ramento. They have been allegedly accused of supporting New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas. Tadena was killed March 13 this year after saying mass in La Paz town by unknown gunmen.

Fr. Mario said a top Tarlac provincial official confirmed that they were in the list but the Northern Luzon (Nolcom) Command of the Philippine Army denies this.

Harassment

Fr. Mario said he has experienced continuous harassment and intimidation even before the April 1 incident.

In random interviews with IFI members who live near the parish in Balaoang, they confirmed that several people disguised as taho (soya) vendors frequently asked about Fr. Mario’s whereabouts.

“Iisa lang ang magtataho dito sa amin, suki namin yun kaya kilala namin” (There is only one taho vendor in this area and we know him), one of the parishioners said. However, after the massacre of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita on Nov. 16 last year, the parishioners said different men have been selling taho in the area while asking questions about their parish priest. Some of the members further said that during the Holy Week, motorcycle and tricycle riding men also frequented the parish inquiring about the same.

Detachment

Fr. Mario’s experience is not an isolated case. In Barangay Sulipa, Gerona town, the Barangay Hall was turned into a military detachment early morning on April 5. It is only about 50 meters away from the IFI parish where Rev. Deacon Gilbert Garcia is the officer-in-charge.

In an interview with Deacon Gilbert, he said he immediately inquired about the presence of the military from Barangay Captain Prisco Ramos who told him that the 12-man military squad would be staying in the area for five months. “May misyon kami” (We are on a mission), the village chief quoted the military as saying. The soldiers identified themselves as belonging to the 69^th Infantry Battalion (IBPA) and came all the way from Isabela, more than 160 kms north of Tarlac.

According to Deacon Gilbert, this sent chills not only to him but more so to IFI members in the village.

He has been the parish OIC for only six months, the deacon said, but harassment has been frequent. He said burly men have been roaming around the parish at night, knocking at the parish gate or throwing stones at the roof.

Tinapa (smoked fish) vendors on board tricycles have also been frequenting the place, telling residents they are workers from Hacienda Luisita and inquiring about Deacon Gilbert’s whereabouts.

Fr. Greg and Fr. Marcial experience similar harassment, the deacon added.

Encumbered

The spate of harassment has led the parish priests to take precautionary measures.

“Hindi biro ang mga pananakot na ginagawa sa amin” (The threats are no laughing matter), Fr. Mario said while admitting that the harassment has hindered them from performing some of their tasks in the village. “Minsan napipilitan na kaming tumanggi sa mga paanyaya lalo na pag gabi” (Sometimes we are forced to decline some of the invitations especially at night), he added.

But Fr. Mario also expressed his gratitude to his parish members who have been very supportive of him and added that despite the threats to his life, he has opted to stay in the village. “Hindi ko naman pwedeng iwanan ang parokya” (I couldn’t leave the parish), he said. Bulatlat

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