(The Religious of the Good Shepherd- Women Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (RGS-WJPIC) in Mindanao issued a statement of protest on the killing of Fr. Fausto Tentorio. Below is the full text of the statement.)
RGS – WJPIC Statement of Protest
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| Fr. Fausto Tentorio, PIME |
We, the Good Shepherd Sisters of Mindanao and the RGS-WJPIC Mindanao Network, condemn the brutal killing of Fr. Fausto Tentorio, 59 years old, an Italian Missionary Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) on October 17, 2011.
We mourn the loss of a beloved missionary of 31 years, 28 of which had been spent in Mindanao. With zeal, he pursued the service for the downtrodden in Mindanao: the farmers and the indigenous peoples.
We decry this crime against a friend, defender and shepherd of the Filipino poor and advocate of the environment. As a Christian country in Asia, we deplore this act against a missionary who has embraced us as his own people and uplifted so many for a better life.
We honor the courage and generosity of this follower of Christ in his outstanding gift of service. He sought the education, the health and well being of the peoples of this land, boasting of 3000 lumad and peasant scholars served under his programs. He helped establish 10 Ata-Manobo schools and a health program for the tribal peoples under the Tribal Filipino Program Center for Development (TFDCI).
Under threat of the Alamora vigilant group since 2003, he continued his prophetic work of being critical of development that harms and destroys the legacy of the land for the indigenous peoples, being a staunch advocate of anti-large scale and foreign mining. He engaged actively as board member of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) and the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. He espoused and supported the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) or House Bill 374 as the change most needed by the farmers for total human development and progress.
In this affront to peace, we call on President Aquino to stop the political killings in this country, to cease the operation of Oplan Bayanihan and to put an end to impunity and bring to justice the countless victims of extra-judicial killings.
We challenge the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of Justice to conduct immediate investigation and prosecution of those responsible for this cowardly act.
We urge peace loving Filipinos to join the Church-led “Justice for Father Fausto Tentorio Movement” to release the flood gates of justice and integrity. Fill the streets with marches and songs, prayer vigils, candle lighting and drum the beat for truth to come out free and victorious.
For Reference: Sr. Leah Ann Espina, RGS – WJPIC Mindanao: leahannrgs@gmail.com
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| The Religious of the Good Shepherd in the Philippines has 22 apostolic and four contemplative communities in the Philippines. In Mindanao, the communities are Good Shepherd Sisters in Cagayan de Oro City, Kalilid Agusan del Sur, CGS-Butuan City, Pagadian City, Iligan City-Bukidnon and Reach-Out Davao City. |