HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Danger Stalks IFI Church; Another Priest Gets Threats

Many have fallen from their ranks. But like his beloved Bp. Alberto Ramento, who was slain October 3, Fr. Terry Revollido of the Iglesia Filipino Independiente (IFI) chooses to continue serving the church and the poor despite the dangers.

BY AUBREY MAKILAN
Bulatlat

PANGASINAN - Many have fallen from their ranks. But like his beloved Bp. Alberto Ramento, who was slain October 3, Fr. Terry Revollido of the Iglesia Filipino Independiente (IFI) chooses to continue serving the church and the poor despite the dangers.

Smell of danger

Like Bp. Ramento, Fr. Terry knows, “God forbid,” he could be the next victim of political killings.

Being the chair of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance)-Pangasinan, Fr. Terry has been on the forefront of the people’s struggles in the province.

Early this year, unidentified men were seen in front of the seminary where he stays more frequently.

His neighbors reported to him that unidentified men frequented the store in front of the seminary seemingly casing the place, and were asking about him. Some arrived on motorcycles and did not bother to remove their helmets, he said. Also this year they noticed that there were a lot of beggars entering the seminary. Fr. Terry also said that there were men entering the seminary on the pretext of looking for someone. But they became suspicious after a man supposedly searching for his cousin entered one of their unattended offices without permission. The same man was again sighted at the store across the seminary.

THREATENED BUT FIGHTING: Fr. Terry Revollido braves threats against him and speaks at a rally demanding justice for slain Aglipayan Bishop Alberto Ramento in Manila, Oct. 12. PHOTO BY AUBREY MAKILAN

A fellow priest, who has the same built as him, also encountered some suspicious-looking men twice. His colleague said a van stopped and looked at him while he was at the store. “Siguro akala nila ako kaya umalis din nung nakita nilang hindi ako yun”(Perhaps they initially thought that the other priest was me so they left when they recognized that it was not me.), said Fr. Terry.

When they investigated who the owner of the van was, they discovered that the van belonged to the Philippine National Police (PNP) with a government plate.

He also learned from a police officer that he is being watched. This person, he said, claimed to be the “case handler” in Pangasinan of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

The IFI priest was also told that somebody who did not identify himself was asking their janitor in the seminary about his whereabouts. He has also been receiving empty text messages.  He tried calling the numbers of the sender but nobody answered.

Indirect harassment?

Because of these events, Fr. Terry’s church informed other churches and congregations of the possible threat to his life.

Perhaps bowing to pressures from local and international church and human rights groups, representatives of the regional Commission on Human Rights (CHR) visited Fr. Terry. He was interviewed a bit and asked to fill out a form to document his experiences. Fr. Terry said that he was given the impression by CHR officials that what happened to him was not serious because he did not directly experience being harassed or attacked.

“Ano palang ibig sabhin nun?” he asked, “Parang sinsabi nila (CHR) na hindi ko naman pala direktang naranasan, nakita, nakaharap. Hihintayin mo pa bang direkta? Buti nga may mga taong nagti-tip sa akin.” (What did they mean by that? They implied that it was nothing since I did not directly experience the harassments. Will they still wait for it to directly happen to me?  It’s good that people have reported these things to me.)

“Ano ba ‘yun? Syempre torture sa akin ‘yun dahil pinagpaplanuhan na pala ang buhay ko” (This is torture to me knowing that they are planning to kill me.), he added.

Early this year, Ka Jose “Apo” Doton, and Mariano “Kanor” Sepnio, secretary general and vice chairperson of Bayan-Pangasinan, were killed.

“Planado ‘yun” (It was all planned.), he said citing the results of their fact-finding missions on cases of political killings.  He saw a similar pattern to recent events involving him.

He said, “Ano pa bang iisipin natin dun? Ako ang chairman ng Bayan (Pangasinan) tapos pinatay ang vice at secgen ko.’Pag ‘di kayo titigil papatayin namin kyo,’ yun lang naman mensahe nun.” (Is there still a need to come up with additional information?  I am the chairperson of Bayan-Pangasinan. Our vice-chairperson and secretary general were killed.  The message seems to be that if we don’t stop they will kill us all.)  

Protection not from AFP or police

He was asked by CHR officials if he wanted protection. He told them that if it would be the police who would be assigned to protect him he would refuse. 

“Ang PNP at AFP ay may malaking kinalaman sa lahat ng mga pangyayari,” he said. “Kung hihingi ako ng proteksyon sa kanila, parang sinasabi kong wala silang kinalaman sa lahat ng mga nangyayari.” (The PNP and AFP are responsible for the political killings.  If I asked protection from them it’s as if I am sending a message that they were not responsible.)

In spite of the dangers, Fr. Terry is planning to conduct forums on political killings and repression with the support of the diocese.

He said that the IFI is not planning to dialogue with the President.  He said that he heard stories that nothing came out of the dialogues that other churches held with the president. Reports revealed that they were just fed and lectured by the president.

A true Aglipayan

Even when he was still the chair of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) for four years, 1999-2003, he already sensed danger. That early, he was told by a police friend that he was in their “list” and that he better be careful. He said he was being watched because of his connections with the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA).  The CPA, he said, is helping them in their campaign against the San Roque Dam. Members of the CPA, he said, are tagged as New People’s Army (NPA) members too.

But Fr. Terry said that harassment and killings are not new to the IFI church because of its consistent involvement in people’s struggles. He said that the IFI is giving life to the principles of Bishop Gregorio Aglipay who initiated a revolutionary church.

He went to Bp. Ramento’s wake at the IFI National Cathedral in Manila. He spoke at the eulogy and funeral march for the slain bishop.

“Pinipilit kong maging normal ang buhay ko,” he said, “Normal naman lahat pag nasa loob ako ng seminaryo. Pero pag tumapak na ‘ko sa labas, dagdag ingat na.” (I am trying to live a normal life. My life is normal inside the seminary.  But when I step outside I have to be extra careful.)

At the protest rally demanding justice for Bp. Ramento, he scored the police for their “blatant disrespect to bishops and priests,” adding that the PNP’s action shows an emerging trend of religious repression in the country.

”It is deplorable that our prayerful expression of mourning is lost on the police and the government. Our call for justice to a violent death was met with another assault,” said the chairman of the Council of Priests. “Now more than ever, we are convinced that this present government has turned a deaf ear to the cries for truth, justice and peace.” Bulatlat

BACK TO TOP ■  PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION  ■   COMMENT

© 2006 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Media Center

Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.