CBCP vows to pursue Tentorio’s campaigns

MANILA, Philippines—Unfazed by the murder of Fr. Fausto Tentorio, the Catholic Church on Wednesday vowed to pursue its campaign to preserve the environment and protect indigenous people against corporate exploitation.

“The killing itself would not [keep] our priests from the mission to serve our environment and to preserve the biodiversity program for the people,” Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso said over Church-run Radio Veritas.

He believed that Tentorio’s murder would also inspire many more priests and ordinary citizens to take up the Italian missionary’s cause.

“The thinking of environmentalists and us priests is that whether we get killed or run down, we have to continue with what we are fighting for,” said Medroso.

“Even if Fr. Tentorio was killed, I believe that more people will surface to advocate and protect the environment,” said the prelate, also chair of the Episcopal Commission on Canon Law of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

If one looks at the rich history of the Church, its mission has been fortified amid martyrs dying for their advocacy, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, CBCP media director, told reporters.

“The moment we have incidents like this, the more we are emboldened to continue our mission,” he said. “That’s why we have martyrs.”

Quoting Fr. Giovanni Re, head in the Philippines of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), would not pull out its missionaries in Mindanao. PIME has 22 missionaries in the country and Tentorio was one of 10 assigned in the south.

“Fr. Giovanni said what happened gives them more strength and gives them more reason to be in these areas and reinforce Fr. Tentorio’s advocacy championing the indigenous people,” said Quitorio.

Many Church and religious leaders believed that Tentorio’s anti-mining crusade was the motive behind his murder.

In a statement on Wednesday, the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa) criticized the government for its failure to curb the prevalence of extrajudicial killings in the country.

“Beyond the usual expressions of ‘condolences’ and ‘condemnation,’ government and state authorities have not really done anything that will reverse the trend of senseless killings in the country,” stated Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chair of the CBCP-Nassa.

He continued, “But the victims, their families and friends don’t need these futile words…rather we desire to see these killings stop than be consoled by the platitudes they give in exchange of our grief.”

Meanwhile, other Catholic bishops said the country will continue to be a “magnet of violence” in the absence of a law that would impose a total gun ban.

Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said a total gun ban in the country will offer a solution to these senseless killings.

But he was quick to admit that the Aquino administration would have a hard time implementing it since its government officials continue to have “armory mentality.” Mr. Aquino, himself, is a gun enthusiast.

He also cited Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas, who recently admitted owning five guns, including an AK-47 because of “credible” death threats, after police discovered two of his firearms in his sports utility vehicle when his security escorts figured in a road accident.

“How will the ordinary people obey the law when even government officials have armory mentality… they have to set an example,” said Bagaforo over Radio Veritas.

Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz attributed the prevalence of violence in the country because of the prejudiced implementation of gun control laws.