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Killings ‘greatly disturb’ bishops ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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DUMAGUETE City – The four dioceses of Negros Island condemned extrajudicial killings in a joint pastoral statement.
The statement opened with the quote, “Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended.” It was a quote from Our Lady of the Rosary addressed to the child Lucia, a visionary from Fatima, Portugal on Oct. 13, 1917.
Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete formally read out the statement at a dawn mass on Friday.
“Echoing therefore the stand of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, we strongly condemn these extrajudicial killings,” the statement read.
The simultaneous release of the joint statement was held Friday during the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.
Bishop Cortes, Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon, San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and the Very Reverend Rolando Nuevo, administrator of the Diocese of Kabankalan, signed it.
Cortes read the joint statement at the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral here.
The bishops said they were “deeply saddened and greatly disturbed” with the following:
* spate of extrajudicial killings in connection with the anti-drug campaign;
* inadequate action on the part of government to check the extrajudicial killings and to bring the perpetrators to justice
* incendiary statements of the administration which tend to encourage the killing of drug addicts
* apathy and indifference of the general public.
The bishops were “deeply concerned that this alarming insensitivity could lead to a deadening of conscience and the dawning of a culture of death.”
“While we commend the government for its political will and determination in addressing the terrible drug menace that has long plagued our country, we strongly urge that this be done within the bounds of law and with full respect for human rights,” the bishops insisted.
The bishops cited biblical passages and a quote from Pope Francis against killing while also committing themselves and their dioceses to the following:
* to pray constantly that the country may be effectively rid of the drug menace, but in a manner that is just and lawful
* to intensify evangelization particularly in the area of forming consciences and promoting the culture of life, starting in families
* offer cooperation and collaboration with government in the work of drug prevention and rehabilitation.
The joint statement will be read in all the Sunday masses today and in any other venue possible.
“We have to really be attentive to what is happening with the hope that the government can do something about this and to take steps to correct what is wrong,” said Bishop Cortes.
In Bacolod City on Thursday night, about 300 parishioners attended a prayer rally dubbed “Santo Rosario Para sa Pagbag-o” led by Bishop Buzon in front of the San Sebastian Cathedral.
“It’s a very appropriate time to pray for the country. We can’t control what’s happening. But what’s alarming is that there’s seemed to be apathy and indifference, it’s very disturbing because we have been desensitized. Our worry is that we’re losing our conscience and that is very scary. There’s an impression that people gloat over the rising number of killings,” the Bacolod bishop said.
Buzon said he is glad there are no cases of extrajudicial killing in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
“I commend our police here for their effort to really abide by the law and do their duty well and properly,” the bishop added. (PNA)
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