ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Concern for the life of a priest actively involved in promoting respect for human rights who has received life threats from ‘death squads’

Manila (Agenzia Fides) - Fr. Feliciano Nalzaro, involved in promoting respect for human rights in the Philippines is in danger. His name is on the black list of an illegal paramilitary group, one of many ‘death squads’ which have sown terror among civilians and are responsible for the wave of violence and bloodshed which has shaken the country in recent years.
The group, which calls itself Mata na Bol-anon Movement (MBM), threatened the priest who is in charge of Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Taloto, Bohol, central Philippines, spreading false reports that Fr. Feliciano is in league with “Communist guerrillas” and deserves to die.
The fact has been strongly denounced by the human rights organisation Karapatan active all over the country with which the priest has collaborated supporting a campaign to stop summary executions and extrajudicial killings which darken the political scene in the Philippines. In the area of Bohol several politicians and activists have been assassinated: therefore the alarm raised by Karapatan would not seem unfounded
The priest reported the situation to Bishop Leonardo Medroso of Bohol, to the Melo Commission charged with investigating murders in impunity, as well as civil and military authorities. Karapatan calls for protection to prevent another killing.
In the meantime UN envoy Philip Alston accused the military of being responsible for many of the killings of journalist, activists, politicians and union leaders in recent years. He issued a report which said the army trained paramilitary groups to do the ‘dirty work’. The phenomenon of killings of politicians and members of the opposition in democratic Philippines is growing. According human rights organisation Karapatan since 2001 an estimated 830 killings have been carried out in total impunity.
The Philippines Bishops have frequently denounced the chain of violence in the country and also called for the publication of the Melo Report which contains names of army officers involved so far kept secret. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 27/2/2007 righe 27 parole 278)