In their statement yesterday during their Liguori lecture on the spate of killings in the city, the congregation said that as they celebrate their 100 years of missionary presence in the Philippines, their congregation has been alarmed and saddened by the spate of killings perpetrated by death squads in Cebu and in various parts of the country.
In Cebu, 167 people have been summarily executed for the last 18 months. In Davao, over 494 have been killed for the last eight years wherein most of the victims were people accused of petty theft, drug pushing and membership in gangs. Most of the victims of these so-called death squads were killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen.
"What is alarming is that these killings are apparently tolerated, inspired or even supported by some local government officials and the police. These officials claim that the summary killings have brought down the crime rate. It appears that these killings are part of the systematic campaign against criminality. But only the small time criminals are targeted. Some were just cases of mistaken identity," their statement read.
The congregation also condemned the killings of journalists in the country saying that these killings were done to silence them of the abuses and corruption of those in authority.
The congregation also condemned the death of human rights activists and leaders of legal organizations in the country saying that it appears that these killings are part of the military strategy in dealing with the perceived communist threat.
"The all-out-war policy of the Arroyo government against the left, the abandonment of peace process and the disregard for human rights and civil liberties have made these killings inevitable," the statement signed by Fr. Joey Echano Vice-Provincial Superior of The Redemptorist Congregation and Fr. Jovencio Ma, Provincial Superior of Cebu, further read.
"All these killings are reminiscent of the summary executions perpetrated by secret marshals and military intelligence units during the Martial law era. These are manifestations of the culture of death that persists today. They have no place in our democratic society," it added.
During the Martial Law, the congregation exercised their prophetic vocation of denouncing evil in society and announcing the gospel of life. They continue to do so to stay under a government that has increasingly become authoritarian.
"We therefore condemn all these killings. They have been carried out systematically and with premeditation. They can only be considered as serial murder. They are illegal, immoral and gravely sinful. These are a violation of the fifth commandment-You shall not kill. The guilty ones are not just the ones who pull the trigger, but those who order them and inspire them. In doing so, they themselves have become criminals," their unified statement read. - Jasmin R. Uy