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Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights
Statement
Canadians call for the release of Pastor Berlin Guerrero in the
Philippines
12 September 2007
The Philippines-Canada Task Force for Human Rights (PCTFHR), joins the
United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the National Council
of Churches in the Philippines, Ecumenical Bishops Forum, Union
Theological Seminary, Kilosbayan Foundation, Bantay Katarungan
Foundation and all peace-loving Filipino people in condemning the
abduction and continued detention of Pastor Berlin Guerrero in the
Philippines.
Pastor Guerrero, a licentiate pastor of the United Church of Christ in
the Philippines and a student at Union Theological Seminary, is a victim
of serious human rights violations, including abduction, torture, and
illegal detention.It has been three months since he was abducted and tortured by elements
of the Naval Intelligence Security Force (NISF) of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) and turned over to the Philippines National Police
(PNP-PPO) at Imus, Cavite. He is now an inmate of the Cavite Provincial
Jail (CPJ) at Trece Martirez City, Cavite. His 100th day in prison was
on September 4, 2007.
We deplore the grave abuse of discretion of the local court to deny the
motions for his release. Judge Matias Garcia II, has ruled that a charge
of murder be allowed to proceed to trial, despite the clear evidence
that the arrest of Pastor Guerrero was illegal and not authorized by a
warrant. The warrant that was eventually obtained was not supported by
any witness appearing in court when it was issued in 1991. Records of
the murder charge expose an utter lack of probable cause.
Pastor Guerrero is a noted peace-loving and progressive advocate for the
poor in the Philippines who is an outspoken critic of the anti-people
policies of the government of Philippine President Gloria Arroyo.
We hold the military forces of the Arroyo government and President
Arroyo as the Commander-in-Chief accountable for the fate of Pastor
Guerrero and nearly 200 victims of enforced disappearances and 248
political prisoners. The armed forces of the corrupt Arroyo government
have openly labeled social activists and human rights defenders,
including activist church members, as 'enemies of the state' and thus,
targets for political persecution.
As a Pastor in prison, he has taken up the cause of his fellow inmates
who suffer the consequences of subhuman prison conditions and the delays
in court case proceedings, not to mention the violations against the
basic human rights of numerous inmates by police and other security
forces. He is now a victim among many, but continues to educate and
organize his fellow men for justice and freedom.
PCTFHR strongly demands for justice for Pastor Guerrero. We call on the
Arroyo government to immediately and unconditionally release Pastor
Guerrero and all political prisoners unjustly detained in the Philippines.
Release Pastor Guerrero!
Freedom for all political prisoners in the Philippines!
Stop state-sponsored terrorism in the Philippines!
Stop the political killings in the Philippines! Surface the
disappeared! Justice for the victims and their families!
Canada, stop supporting the militarist, repressive and corrupt US --
Arroyo regime!
Long live people-to-people solidarity between Canadians and Filipinos!
For Reference:
Beth Dollaga, BCCHRP-PCTFHR
Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights:
*Centre for Philippine Concerns -- Montreal
*Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines -- Ottawa
*Philippine Network for Justice and Peace -- Toronto
*Centre for Philippine Concerns -- Winnipeg
*B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
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