Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a pastor of the United of Church in Christ (UCCP) in Laguna is the subject of renewed surveillance by military agents. The local authority has admitted military involvement in a series of surveillance exercises on the victim. Presently, the victim moved to a secure to place due to the incident.
CASE DETAILS: [Based on the documentation by Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (KARAPATAN)]
On 20 August 2013, at 11am, two unidentified men on a motorcycle arrived at the house of Deborah Olarte, a member of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Brgy. Masikap, Mabitac, Laguna. Olarte’s residence is three houses away from the UCCP chapel. The men did not introduce themselves but one of them said that he was a resident of Barangay Paagahan.
One of the men told Olarte that he knew she had the keys to the chapel. She asked the men what they wanted from the chapel and one of the men said he planned to be baptized in the chapel and asked for the cost of the service. The men asked for the pastor’s name and if he was available. Olarte replied that his name was Pastor June Ver and that he was not in the chapel at that time. The man asked if the pastor would be available on Saturday and Olarte answered that she did not know.
The two men then proceeded to the residence of Arsenia Agira in Brgy. Paagahan. Agira is also a UCCP member and UCCP-Mabitac Council chairperson. One of the men asked if Agira is a Born Again Christian and she answered that she is a UCCP member.
The other man introduced himself as a member of the Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU). He added that his wife is a UCCP member in Infanta, Quezon and would like to attend church service in Mabitac. Agira explained there are other UCCP churches in various municipalities and villages in Quezon and Laguna. She also advised them to attend a church closest to where they live.
The CAFGU member asked questions about the pastor in Mabitac such as his name, the province he came from and where he and his family live. Agira said all she knew was that the pastor is from Mindanao.
Later, the same two men visited the house of Susana Palentinos, a deacon of the UCCP in Mabitac. Palentinos owns apartment units for rent. The two men claimed they were policemen and were looking for an apartment to rent. The men said a local police man directed them to her. The men asked whether Palentinos was a UCCP member and if she attends church service at the UCCP in Mabitac. The men also asked her if she knew the pastor of that church. The men gave a description of the said pastor. Palentinos said she did not know the pastor. One of the men even asked if she had a picture of the pastor which made Palentinos suspicious.
On the same day, Pastor June Ver was in a gathering at the UCCP in Luisiana, Laguna. At 6pm, he received a call from an unregistered number on his mobile phone. Pastor June Ver answered the phone and asked who the caller was. The male voice on the other line replied, “Why? Who are you?” Pastor June Ver told the caller, “Kayo po ang tumawag kaya gusto kong malaman ang pangalan nyo!” (‘Since you called up my number, I want to know your name’). The male voice replied: “That is not important. Aren’t you Pastor Mangao?” Becoming anxious, Pastor June Ver ended the call.
According to Susana Palentinos, she and her husband visited Pastor June Ver, on 22 August. She informed the pastor of the two unidentified men who were asking for him. She expressed fear for the safety of the pastor and advised him not to go out of the chapel. In the evening, Pastor June Ver visited Olarte to inquire if she had received a similar visit as Palentinos. The pastor took note of Olarte’s accounts of the men’s visits. On the same night, Pastor June Ver called Rev. Victor Paller, Minister for Northeast Southern Tagalog Conference of the UCCP to inform him of what had happened. That night, members of the UCCP did not leave the pastor to ensure his safety.
On 23 August, Rev. Paller accompanied Pastor June Ver to a safe location. That evening, Fedi, Olarte’s husband, noticed a bluish Kawasaki Barako motorcycle with the sign for registration in it. Two men riding the motorcycle were wearing helmets so their faces could not be seen. According to Fedi the motorcycle was similar to the ones used by the men who were looking for Pastor June Ver on 20 August.
On 25 August, the UCCP Mabitac church members noticed an unidentified male at the chapel. At first, the man sat on the front row but later moved to the back row as church goers were coming in. The man was seen using his mobile phone, and left when the church service started.
On 29 August, UCCP pastors, led by Bishop Arturo Asi and Conference Minister Rev. Victor Paller, conducted a dialog with Mabitac Mayor Ronald Sana. The UCCP delegation narrated the incidents involving Pastor June Ver and the unidentified men who alternately claimed to be members of the Police or CAFGU.
Mayor Sana summoned Mabitac police Chief Supt. Sonieza. Sonieza confirmed that the two men were intelligence agents of the 1st Infantry Battalion, under the command of Col. Jose Augusto Villareal. Another policeman named Jackie Bartolome added that these intelligence agents were verifying the pastor’s “connections with leftist groups”. The Mayor and police refused to give the names of the two military intelligence agents.
Meanwhile, a delegation of pastors and interns from the UCCP National Office left the compound of the South Luzon Jurisdiction (UCCP-SLJ) to return to Quezon City. One of the delegates reported via text messages that two men riding-in-tandem on a bluish Kawasaki were following them until they reached Antipolo.
On several occasions in 2011, unidentified persons believed to be military intelligence agents were also reported to be looking for Pastor June Ver.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Renewed surveillance by military agents on a Pastor in Laguna
Name of the victim threatened: Pastor June Ver Mangao, Pastor of United Church of Christ (UCCP), Mabitac, Laguna. He is a member of Northeast Southern Tagalog Conference and Prison Ministry.
Alleged Perpetrators: Intelligence agents from 1st Infantry Battalion Philippine Army
Date of incident: 20 to 25 August 2013
Place of incident: United Church of Christ (UCCP) chapel, Mabitac, Laguna.
I am writing to raise my grave concern about the surveillance on Pastor June Ver Mangao. On 20 August 2013, at 11am, two unidentified men on a motorcycle arrived at the house of Deborah Olarte, a member of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Brgy. Masikap, Mabitac, Laguna. Olarte’s residence is three houses away from the UCCP chapel. The men did not introduce themselves but one of them said that he was a resident of Barangay Paagahan.
One of the men told Olarte that he knew she had the keys to the chapel. She asked the men what they wanted from the chapel and one of the men said he planned to be baptized in the chapel and asked for the cost of the service. The men asked for the pastor’s name and if he was available. Olarte replied that his name was Pastor June Ver and that he was not in the chapel at that time. The man asked if the pastor would be available on Saturday and Olarte answered that she did not know.
The two men then proceeded to the residence of Arsenia Agira in Brgy. Paagahan. Agira is also a UCCP member and UCCP-Mabitac Council chairperson. One of the men asked if Agira is a Born Again Christian and she answered that she is a UCCP member.
The other man introduced himself as a member of the Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU). He added that his wife is a UCCP member in Infanta, Quezon and would like to attend church service in Mabitac. Agira explained there are other UCCP churches in various municipalities and villages in Quezon and Laguna. She also advised them to attend a church closest to where they live.
The CAFGU member asked questions about the pastor in Mabitac such as his name, the province he came from and where he and his family live. Agira said all she knew was that the pastor is from Mindanao.
Later, the same two men visited the house of Susana Palentinos, a deacon of the UCCP in Mabitac. Palentinos owns apartment units for rent. The two men claimed they were policemen and were looking for an apartment to rent. The men said a local police man directed them to her. The men asked whether Palentinos was a UCCP member and if she attends church service at the UCCP in Mabitac. The men also asked her if she knew the pastor of that church. The men gave a description of the said pastor. Palentinos said she did not know the pastor. One of the men even asked if she had a picture of the pastor which made Palentinos suspicious.
On the same day, Pastor June Ver was in a gathering at the UCCP in Luisiana, Laguna. At 6pm, he received a call from an unregistered number on his mobile phone. Pastor June Ver answered the phone and asked who the caller was. The male voice on the other line replied: “Why? Who are you?”. Pastor June Ver told the caller: “Kayo po ang tumawag kaya gusto kong malaman ang pangalan nyo!” (‘Since you called up my number, I want to know your name’). The male voice replied: “That is not important. Aren’t you Pastor Mangao?”. Becoming anxious, Pastor June Ver ended the call.
I have learned that, according to Susana Palentinos, she and her husband visited Pastor June Ver, on 22 August. She informed the pastor of the two unidentified men who were asking him. She expressed fear for the safety of the pastor and advised him not to go out of the chapel. In the evening, Pastor June Ver visited Olarte to inquire if she had received a similar visit as Palentinos. The pastor took note of Olarte’s accounts of the men’ s visits. On the same night, Pastor June Ver called Rev. Victor Paller, Minister for Northeast Southern Tagalog Conference of the UCCP to inform him of what had happened. That night, members of the UCCP did not leave the pastor to ensure his safety.
On 23 August, Rev. Paller accompanied Pastor June Ver to a safe location. That evening, Fedi, Olarte’ s husband, noticed a bluish Kawasaki Barako motorcycle with the sign for registration in it. Two men riding the motorcycle were wearing helmets so their faces could not be seen. According to Fedi the motorcycle was similar to the ones used by the men who were looking for Pastor June Ver on 20 August.
On 25 August, the UCCP Mabitac church members noticed an unidentified male at the chapel. At first, the man sat on the front row but later moved to the back row as church goers were coming in. The man was seen using his mobile phone, and left when the church service started.
On 29 August, UCCP pastors, led by Bishop Arturo Asi and Conference Minister Rev. Victor Paller, conducted a dialog with Mabitac Mayor Ronald Sana. The UCCP delegation narrated the incidents involving Pastor June Ver and the unidentified men who alternately claimed to be members of the Police or CAFGU.
Mayor Sana summoned Mabitac police Chief Supt. Sonieza. Sonieza confirmed that the two men were intelligence agents of the 1st Infantry Battalion, under the command of Col. Jose Augusto Villareal. Another policeman named Jackie Bartolome added that these intelligence agents were verifying the pastor’ s “connections with leftist groups”. The Mayor and police refused to give the names of the two military intelligence agents.
Meanwhile, a delegation of pastors and interns from the UCCP National Office left the compound of the South Luzon Jurisdiction (UCCP-SLJ) to return to Quezon City. One of the delegates reported via text messages that two men riding-in-tandem on a bluish Kawasaki were following them until they reached Antipolo.
On several occasions in 2011, unidentified persons believed to be military intelligence agents were also reported to be looking for Pastor June Ver.
I urge you to ensure the safety of the victim and his family, they must be afforded with prompt and adequate security and protection. It is extremely disappointing that despite previous similar incidents, there has not been any progress to ensure protection and safety of the victim and his family.
I trust that you will take appropriate action in this.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Benigno Aquino III
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
2. Ms. Loretta Ann Rosales
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
E-mail: chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com
3. Ms. Leila de Lima
Secretary
Department of Justice (DOJ)
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
E-mail: soj@doj.gov.ph
4. Ret. Lt. Gen. Voltaire T. Gazmin
Secretary
Department of National Defense
DND Bldg, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,
Quezon City
Fax:+63(2) 982-5600
Email: osnd@philonline.com, dnd.opla@gmail.com
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (ua@ahrc.asia)
