MANILA (UCAN): Ten religious sisters—eight from the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, one from the Missionary of Sisters of Mary and a Good Shepherd Sister, were acquitted of perjury charges by a court in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, on January 9. The charge was dismissed on the grounds “of reasonable doubt.”
Hermohenes Esperon, the national security adviser of former president, Rodrigo Duterte, had filed a case against the nuns in 2019 for allegedly lying under oath that their group—the Rural Missionary of the Philippines—was a non-stock, non-profit organisation.
Human rights groups condemned the charge as part of harassment to silence the nuns and their companions due to their strong advocacy for human rights.
“Those cases were filed to silence Church organisers because they [government operatives] know the poor are empowered by the mission of the Catholic Church. When the poor are empowered, they begin to question the abuses done to them by the rich and the powerful,” Karapatan member, Carlo Frias, told reporters.
On January 8, religious sisters, together with ecumenical groups, staged a prayer rally for the acquittal of the 10 accused in the perjury case as the court delivered the verdict. They also participated in a Mass and lit candles.
Those cases were filed to silence Church organisers because they [government operatives] know the poor are empowered by the mission of the Catholic Church. When the poor are empowered, they begin to question the abuses done to them by the rich and the powerful
Carlo Frias
“Human rights defenders, Church people, and sisters from different religious congregations gathered on Sunday morning in celebration of a Mass with special intentions in Good Shepherd Convent, Quezon City,” the Good Shepherd Sisters said in a statement.
After the Mass, the sisters rang bells in the streets in public witness of support for human rights defenders calling for a favourable decision.
Rural Missionary of the Philippines is a Church-based national organisation, comprising priests, nuns, and laypersons working for the poor.
Their associates include the Gabriela and the Karapatan Alliance Philippines, a left-leaning non-governmental organisation and human rights alliance.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
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The Gabriela Women’s Group welcomed the acquittal of human rights defenders. “We hope this positive decision augurs well for the calls to stop the attacks against human rights defenders in the country,” the group said in a statement.
Human rights defenders, Church people, and sisters from different religious congregations gathered on Sunday morning in celebration of a Mass with special intentions in Good Shepherd Convent, Quezon City
The Good Shepherd Sisters
The group remains “steadfast in its work of defending the oppressed, especially disempowered and impoverished women,” it added.
Human rights advocates protested outside the Quezon City Hall of Justice in Manila while the verdict was being read.
“We stayed and we prayed. Let it be known to the world that there is hope in the justice system in the Philippines. One cannot just file malicious charges or cases to silence those who fight for human rights,” Karapatan member, Jenny Oliveros, said.
The religious sisters said their charges were “malicious” and intended to harass those who championed the cause of the poor.
The sisters and ecumenical pastors had prayed together to thank God for the acquittal and to stop the alleged “state attacks”.
Good Shepherd Sister Concepta Bellosillo said, “The cases were in retaliation for seeking legal protection from state attacks, harassment, and other threats. They want to silence us because they do not want the truth to come out. We thank the Lord for this little victory.”
