In a statement yesterday, the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) condemned the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla for filling Anti-Terrrorism Law charges against 16 individuals, including nuns, from the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), alleging them to be “funding the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).”
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ATL‘s new victims
Filed on August 15, Monday, before the Iligan City Regional Trial Court, the 16 rural missionaries were indicted under Section 8(ii) of Republic Act 10168 that penalizes an individual who “makes available any property or funds, or financial services or other related services to a designated and/or identified person, organization, association, or group of persons.”
Aside from the impossibility of bail, the penalties for their charge include 20 to 40 years in prison and a fine of not less than P500,000.00 or more than P1,000,000.00.
The Justice Department continuously accused the RMP of “diverting some of its funds from foreign donors to communist rebels.”
The 16 charged individuals include: Emma Teresita Cupin, Susan Dejolde, Ma. Fatima Napoles Somogod, Augustina Juntilla, Maryjane Caspillo, Melissa Comiso, Czarina Golda Selim Musni, Maridel Solomon Fano, Jhona Ignilan Stokes, Hanelyn Caibigan Cespedes, Angelie Magdua, Emilio Gabales, Mary Louise Dumas, Aileen Villarosa, Evelyn Naguio, and Aldeen Yañez.
If the Iligan court judge decides to release warrants of arrest, the accused would be jailed for an indefinite amount of time with no bail in spite of not being judged guilty yet.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the copy of the resolution was withheld earlier from the reporters and the public due to “privacy” reasons, said lawyer Mico Clavano of the Office of the Justice Secretary.
Accordingly, the supposed proofs from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and testimonies of people who claimed to be former communist insurgents were not disclosed.
Silencing Church critics
SCMP National Spokesperson Kej Andres contended, “[w]ith nothing to prove, we expect only mischief from the DOJ whose head, Secretary Remulla, foolishly and baselessly accused those who went to Robredo’s rally last March as sent and paid by the communists.”
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The RMP, established in 1969, is a church-based national organisation, of priests and lay persons, with a mandate to empower and educate farmers, fisher-folk, and indigenous peoples on their rights and struggles. They suitably sponsored Lumad schools which the previous and current administrations have also red-tagged.
On December 26, 2019, with the urging of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), the AMLC froze the bank accounts of the RMP on the same basis of supposed “rebel-funding.”
On June 6, 2022, former National Security Adviser Heremogenes Esperon, Jr. ordered the blocking of RMP’s website, among others, despite inadequate proofs.
RMP’s members have also been persecuted before. Sister Elenita Belardo was charged with perjury by Esperon, Jr. Also, Sister Patricia Fox, an Australian nun and former RMP head, was deported by the Duterte regime after protesting against the administration’s human rights violations related to the war on drugs and martial law in Mindanao.
God‘s people vs. human tyranny
Nevertheless, the RMP, supported by the SCMP and other formations, continues to uphold its religious and civil conscience and mission—to serve the oppressed.
Andres expressed, “Jesus was also deemed subversive as he overturned the status quo. As with Christ, RMP and all persecuted church people will be vindicated as history judges tyrants and oppressors unkindly.”
“The scriptures say that those being persecuted live a Godly life. And as these besieged church people stand firm in ministering with the poor, we continue to stand by their back against all forms of oppression,” Andres added.
The RMP nuns are the newest victims of the draconian Anti-Terrorism Law which virtually targetsgovernment critics. SCMP urges the youth, fellow faithfuls, and other individuals and organizations to stand firm and fight against state terrorism under the Marcos Jr. administration.
#StandWithRMP
#StopTheAttacks
Featured image courtesy Kej Andres
