Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Agenzia Fides) – Crime is increasing and prospering; murders, kidnappings and episodes of violence make the headlines every day; and the widespread fear of all citizens are all elements of serious concern to the Bishops of the Philippines who issued an alert, calling on the Government to make efforts to enforce law and order, ensuring public safety. In a statement sent to Fides, the Bishops of the metropolitan region Manila report the degradation of order in society, impunity and the poor functioning of justice.
Bishop Deogracias S. Iniguez of Kalookan has called for research to study the phenomenon and find adequate solutions; Bishop Emmanuel Trance of Catarman notes that the murders and executions outside the law continue to occur in the Country “in general silence”. According to the President for Prison Pastoral Care for the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Pedro Arigo of Puerto Princesa, “the roots of the phenomenon are in a widespread culture of impunity and in the inefficiency of the security forces.” A situation that the Bishops agree endangers the peace and social harmony of the Country.
For this, reads the message, the Government should implement, as soon as possible, a reform of security forces and law enforcement; it calls President Benigno Aquino to make the issue a priority in the national political agenda.
For its part, the Church is committed to helping stem what some observers call a “moral disaster”, that is, a total lack of education of the citizens' consciences, who do not hesitate to break laws and commit crimes. In addition to political will, in fact, to combat the phenomenon “an urgent mobilization from the grassroots and a re-education of consciences, in society,” note the Bishops.
The Aquino government inherited a difficult situation: the last decade, under former President Gloria Arroyo, saw an exponential increase in extra-judicial killings of human rights activists, journalists, judges, lawyers, trade unionists and religious. In eight years of the Arroyo government, 1,118 victims of summary executions, 1,026 cases of torture, 1,946 arbitrary arrests, more than 30,000 assaults and 81,000 cases of intimidation have been ascertained. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 20/1/2011)
