Religious groups cry foul over tagging of Pagadian bishop as ‘NPA’

By CONG B. CORRALES
Associate Editor

THE leadership of Iglesia Filipina Independiente has condemned the most recent red-tagging on one of its bishops here in Mindanao.

In a statement on Sunday, IFI Obispo Maximo The Most Rev. Rhee Timbang slammed at the acts of vandalism on their church in Zamboanga del Sur and expressed concern over the safety of IFI Pagadian Bishop Antonio Ablon who has been tagged as a member of the communist New People’s Army.

“This is highly alarming considering that this tagging and labeling do not only grossly malign and vilify the IFI and its ministry, they likewise irresponsibly placed the life and security of Bishop Antonio Ablon and other IFI bishops and clergy in danger,” Timbang’s statement reads in part.

Timbang said he was in Kuching, Malaysia to attend a consecration event of a sister church when he received the report of the red-tagging incidents.

Among the reported incidents include: “Vandalized the church fence in our Gatub Chapel in Zamboanga del Sur located along the national highway towards Zamboanga City with markings tagging the IFI as NPA; and serialized the red-tagging of the IFI and Bp Antonio Ablon, together with UCCP and other legal sectoral organizations as NPA through markings along the various points in the national highway of Zamboanga del Sur particularly at Barangay Lacupayan in the Municipality of Tigbao and at the Municipality of Kumalarang. Zamboanga del Sur is part of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the IFI Diocese of Pagadian shepherded by Ablon as being its diocesan bishop.”

For its part, the human rights watchdog Karapatan in northern Mindanao condemned what it called “criminalization” of the work of church people and endangering the lives of human rights advocates.

“This is but one of the many ripples of the war against terrorism, where civilians are made targets for vilification, harassment, and even extrajudicial killings. Church workers and peace advocates should remain vigilant,” said Fr. Allan Khen Apus, Karapatan spokesman for Region 10.

Apus called on the Duterte administration to focus instead on the “real threat” to the nation “where the people suffer from the many economic problems they created themselves.”

The Promotion of Church People’s Response also sounded alarm bells on the red-tagging and threats by way of scrawling letters in spray paint on a chapel vicinity as well as along highways in different areas of Zamboanga del Sur.

These markings include “IFI = NPA,” “UCCP = NPA,” “RMP = NPA,” and “Bishop Ablon = NPA,” among others.

“Not only was a military presence noted in areas near these postings, but, in light of the AFP-invented ‘Red October’ conspiracy, this is an apparent effort by the military to attack the prophetic and social ministry of the Church, as well as threaten its leaders,”  said Nardy Sabino, PCPR secretary general.

PCPR strongly condemned what it called “cowardly harassment and brazen threat” even as it urged citizens to increase their vigilance to actively protect and support religious people who have been threatened.

In June, leaders and members from these churches led a solidarity and mercy mission for the Subanen community in Zamboanga del Sur and verified reports of aerial bombings and other human rights abuses.

PCPR said, “This red-tagging of churches and individuals by accusing them as being the same as the New Peoples Army is an explicit and dire threat. This act renders bishops, priests, pastors and lay workers as targets of possible physical attack and other harassments by the military and other state security forces. It also casts aspersions on the ministry of these churches and violates their right to exercise freedom of religion and expression.”