Another Activist Priest Receives Death Threat

Another Activist Priest Receives Death Threat

REV. FR. RENATO L. RESPICIO, priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente received death threat right inside his parish. (details below.)

Fr. Respicio was the coordinator of Patriots' anti-fraud monitoring mission in Nueva Ecija that document cases of election-related fraud and violence during the 2004 elections. He is an active member of the Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR) and Karapatan. He is often engaged in fact-finding missions regarding human rights abuses in the province.

The death threat clearly came from agents and defenders of the Arroyo government – it is another proof that the perpetrators of the series of political killings and persecution are the armed forces of the Arroyo government!

Summary of Incident

Case: Grave Threat/Harassment
Victim: REV. FR. RENATO L. RESPICIO
Priest of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente

Place of Incident: Pro-Cathedral of St. Jerome, Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija

May 26, 2006, 4:00 pm – As usual, Fr. Renato Respicio opened the parish collection boxes. Normally, he receives prayer requests from parishioners which he reads during Sunday masses. That day, he received not just prayer requests but a note with the following death threat:

"Mga Kapatid itigil na ang pag-oorganisa sa mga tao hindi maganda ginagawa nio Wag ninyong gamitin ang mga tao. Pag hindi kau tumigil lahat ng pamilya nio ubusin namin pati mga naglilingkod dito sa cimbahan na ito madadamay lahat, minamanmanan namin lahat ng kilos nio, lalu kan fr. mac-mac pati na mga alagad mo sa cimbahan lahat yan damay. Tigil na di nio mapabababa ci presidente arroyo magpatayan lang tayo. Kaya tigilan na yan." (Stop organizing the people, don't use the people. If you will not stop, we will finish all your families and parish workers here. We are watching over your activities, especially Fr. Mac-Mac. Stop what you are doing, you cannot oust President Arroyo so you better stop.")

Promotion of Church People's Response