by Pesante-USA
Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006 at 8:37 PM magsasakapil@hotmail.com 213-241-0906 337 Glendale Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90026
Fr. Antonio Ablon, a priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) based in Cagayan de Oro, received the following text message yesterday October 6 at 4:45 pm: “Fr. Ablon, patay gani ang supreme bishop ikaw pa kaha i sample ka namo dinhi sa CDO” (Fr. Ablon, even the supreme bishop was killed, we will make you an example here in Cagayan de Oro) .
PRESS RELEASE October 7, 2006 For immediate release
After Bishop’s murder: another IFI priest receives death threat
Fr. Antonio Ablon, a priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) based in Cagayan de Oro, received the following text message yesterday October 6 at 4:45 pm:
“Fr. Ablon, patay gani ang supreme bishop ikaw pa kaha i sample ka namo dinhi sa CDO” (Fr. Ablon, even the supreme bishop was killed, we will make you an example here in Cagayan de Oro)
The message that came from cell phone number 09203546270 is unmistakably clear in warning that Fr. Ablon could be the next victim of extra-judicial killing.
We strongly suspect that the source of this message could only be the military agents who are dutiful in their mission to intimidate, suppress and brutally silence the voices of dissent that have exposed the fraud, corruption and human rights abuses of the Arroyo administration. We denounce this latest harassment against Fr. Ablon. This is a serious threat that further confirms the extent of mission orders against government critics. By killing an activist bishop and 22 other priests, pastors and lay church members, the record of human rights violations of the Arroyo government is becoming more and more unparalleled in brutality.
The police and other Malacañang agencies will not succeed in framing up common robbers as the culprit behind Bishop Alberto Ramento’s killing. We warn the Arroyo government that further attacks on activist bishops, priests and pastors will certainly accelerate its downfall as more and more people will be awakened to join the people’s outrage against its serious crimes against the whole nation.
Like Bishop Ramento, Fr. Ablon is an outspoken critic of the Arroyo government and has been receiving death threats like other activist priests and pastors. Fr. Ablon is a National Council Member of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) and current Secretary General of the human rights group Karapatan in the region.
Other priests of the IFI who either received information that they are in the order of battle or have been harassed by death threats are those who are at the forefront of human rights groups, anti-corruption, anti-Cha-Cha and other people’s campaigns against the policies of the Arroyo government, include:
- Fr. Terry Revollido, PCPR and Bayan leader and faculty member of the Aglipayan seminary in Pangasinan; - Fr. Romeo Tagud, PCPR and Bayan Negros who was harassed by motorcycle-riding armed men; - Fr. Marco Sulayao of PCPR and Bayan Panay whose convent was invaded by suspected military agents; - Fr. Sonny Teleron, PCPR and Bayan in Western Mindanao
Reference:
Ms. Amie Dural Secretary General, PCPR 09213474039 / 4107623