Pesante-USA Condemns Activist Aglipayan bishop “Rub-Out”

Los Angeles – The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante-USA) with the highest and strongest indignation, vehemently condemn the “rub-out” Marcos martial law style killing of an Aglipayan bishop who spoke out against the extrajudicial killings under the Arroyo administration and who took up the cudgels for striking workers at Hacienda Luisita.

Bishop Alberto Ramento, 69, chair of the Supreme Council of Bishops of the Philippine Independent Church, was reportedly killed by two men who entered the San Sebastian Cathedral’s convent through a damaged door, according to the police yesterday, October 3, 2006 in Tarlac.

Pesante-USA pointed out that:“ It is different when you kill a man of god. This shows how desperate is the US-Arroyo regime. It cannot tolerate anymore any kind of dissent, the same way when the rightist fascist in Latin America killed Bishop Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador and the Archbishop of Guatemala City.

Pesante –USA also is appalled by the undue haste of PNP Director Bartolome to Tarlac province who concluded at once that: “This is a case of robbery. We see no signs yet that this was politically motivated,” he said.

For Pesante-USA, the murder of Ramento is a copycat of martial law series of rubouts against religious persons like Fr. Ruperto Kangleon, Fr. Pites Bernardo and other enemies of the US-Marcos regime who were killed but whose deaths were disguised as “car accidents” or “robbery with murder.”

The real intention might have been intended to silence him and to end his support for many causes, including peace, human rights, civil liberties and good governance.

Pesante-USA remembers Ramento as “a man of peace”. He worked tirelessly for the peace negotiations between the NDFP and the GRP. Ramento, co-chair of the Philippine Peace Center and convenor of Pilgrims for Peace. He was also a staunch advocate of genuine land reform, and a supporter of Filipino workers and peasants and supported the Hacienda Luisita farmers during their most trying hours.”

Pesante condole with Bishop Ramento’s family and the Iglesia Filipino Indipendente (IFI). Bishop Ramento will never be forgotten and his work and cries for justice and peace will not fall on deaf ears.

Together with him, we say to the proud rulers; “ Let my ( our) people go!”

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