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A NEWLY formed alliance of Philippine churches and human rights
group will seek the help of Pope Benedict XVI to look into the real
score of the human rights condition in the country.
The National Council of Churches in the
Philippines (NCCP) and the Universal Periodic Review Watch (UPR
Watch) will appeal to the Pope to look into the country’s human
rights record.
NCCP Secretary General Fr. Rex Reyes said in a
report posted on the website of the Catholic Bishops Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP) that the they would tap Caloocan Bishop
Deogracias Iñiguez to help them reach Pope Benedict XVI. Iñiguez
is the head of the public affairs department of the highly
influential CBCP.
Karapatan’s Marie Hilao-Enriquez, one of the
convenors of UPR Watch, said their options remain open regarding
discussions on human rights with the Pope.
“The Pope is truly an advocate of the full
respect to human rights, especially the right to life and
freedom,” Enriquez said in a statement.
According to reports, since President Gloria
Arroyo took over the government in January 2001, more than 1,000
people have been victims of extra-judicial or summary killings and
forced disappearances.
Of the said figure, 901have been summarily
killed, mostly by motorcycle-riding gunmen, 20 of whom were church
workers from different religious groups, and 100 were victims of
forced disappearances.
-- Anthony Vargas
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