This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 4, February 27-March 5, 2005
A church group has
expressed concern over the “alarming” human rights situation in the Eastern
Visayas region, with the recent shooting of an activist priest. The victim is
Fr. Allan Caparro, a member of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI or
Philippine Independent Church) and vice-chairperson of the Promotion of Church
People’s Response in Eastern Visayas (PCPR-EV). A church group is concerned over the
“alarming” human rights situation in the Eastern Visayas region, with the recent
shooting of an activist priest. The victim is Fr. Allan Caparro of the
Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI or Philippine Independent Church) and
vice-chairperson of the Promotion of Church People’s Response in Eastern Visayas
(PCPR-EV), central Philippines. PCPR is an ecumenical organization of church
people involved in human rights and social justice advocacy. On Feb. 18 at around 6:30 p.m., three still
unidentified assailants on board a motorcycle fired a .45 pistol at Caparro and
his wife Aileen in Abuyog town, Leyte, wounding them both. “From the circumstances surrounding the
attack,” said the PCPR-EV in a statement, “there (is) no possible motive other
than to silence Fr. Allan because of his long and consistent defense of the
masses, especially the peasants in Northern and Western Samar who have been
continually harassed and attacked by members of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP).” Of late, Caparro has been vocal in his
stance against large-scale mining, which the PCPR-EV views as closely linked
with rising militarization in prospective mining areas. It is feared that these
operations would displace upland peasants. Similar attack “It is worthy to note that the manner of the
attack was almost the same as that of the still-unsolved case of Anakpawis
(Toiling Masses) regional coordinator Samuel Bandilla who was gunned down (on)
Oct. 15, 2004,” the PCPR-EV added. Bandilla was also shot by assailants on
board a motorcycle. However, in his case, it has been established that a certain
Soledad, a member of the military intelligence group (MIG), was involved in the
fatal shooting. “There is reason to believe that (the
Caparro shooting) is another handiwork of the military,” the PCPR-EV stated. The PCPR-EV also condemned the designation
last February of Col. Jovito Palparan, Jr. as commander of the Eastern Visayas-based
8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. “His name and presence
are synonymous to heightened human rights violations especially attacks on
members of progressive legal organizations,” the PCPR-EV stated. Palparan, who was promoted as brigadier
general by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, is a former commander of the
Philippine Army’s 204th Infantry Battalion, based in Oriental Mindoro.
His name figured in several human rights violations alleged to have been
perpetrated by government forces and military hitmen against activists in the
province. “When church people themselves, imbued by
their faith to live out their preferential option for the poor become victims of
malicious attack, it (shows) total disregard of the dignity of men and women,”
the PCPR-EV stated. “More so when the attack is perpetrated by armed agents of
the State.” Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
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HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Church Group Condemns Shooting of Priest in
Leyte
BY BULATLAT