Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights
PCTFHR

CANADIANS CONDEMN THE KILLING OF REVEREND FELOMINO CATAMBIS IN THE PHILIPPINES

28 January 2008

The Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights (PCTFHR) joins the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in condemning the barbaric and inhuman act of killing Reverend Felomino Catambis of Northeastern Leyte Conference.

In another tragic and unnecessary loss of human life, Rev. Catambis was shot dead at around 7:00 in the morning on January 23, 2008, while on his way to Abuyog, Leyte from his residence in Mahaplag, Leyte. He was riding on his motorcycle without his knowledge that two men also riding a motorcycle overtook him and shot him with a 9mm automatic assault rifle.

Rev. Catambis entered into the Ministry in 1986 as Licentiate and continued to study under the Theological Education Extension (TEE) Program of Union Theological Seminar. In 2002, he graduated with the Bachelor of Ministry and was ordained at the Conference Annual Session in 2003.

Human rights watchdogs such as Amnesty International and international church groups like the World Council of Churches have joined the Filipino people in urging immediate stop to the killings and prosecution of the perpetrators. But instead of ensuring justice for the victims, the rate and impunity of killings increase – not even sparing church workers.  

We hold the Philippine President Arroyo government accountable for the worsening human rights situation and systematic killings of activists. In August 2007, Prof. Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, directly attributed the extrajudicial killings on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and its counter-insurgency program. “The necessary measures should be taken to ensure that the principle of command responsibility, as it is understood in international law, is the basis for criminal liability within the domestic legal order,” Alston said.

PCTFHR, calls for justice on the killing of Rev. Catambis and for all victims of summary executions. The Philippine government is a party to human rights instruments and international conventions and as such, it has made commitment not to sanction the practice of enforced disappearance and extra-judicial killings or tolerate such atrocities against its citizens.

PCTFHR express its solidarity, as we lament this killing, to the immediate family of Rev. Catambis as well as the congregation and community he served. As concerned Canadians, we continue our campaign to continue to support the Filipino people in their call for Arroyo regime to stop the unabated politically-motivated killings and state-sponsored terror it holds over the Filipino people. We urge all peace- and freedom-loving Canadians to join in genuine solidarity with the Filipino people in their legitimate struggle for genuine peace, human rights and freedom.

For Reference:
Beth Dollaga, B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines

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