'Freedom is fake' without justice, Tagle says on Philippine Independence Day

MANILA, Philippines — True liberty is without killings, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said as the country commemorates the 120th anniversary of the Philippine Independence.

In a statement, the church leader lamented the continued killings of Filipinos within the country and even in foreign land.

“Freedom is fake if justice is being toyed at. We repeat: Destruction of life is against the will of God. Killing is not the solution to personal and societal problems,” Tagle said in Filipino.

Tagle mourned that demise of Henry Acorda, an overseas Filpino worker in Slovakia who was beaten up to death, and the continued killings in the country, including priests, latest of which was Father Richmon Nilo.

READ: OFW dies after being beaten up in Slovakia

Just last weekend, Nilo was gunned down by unidentified gunmen as he was about to celebrate a mass inside the Nuestra Señora dela Nieve Chapel in Brgy. Mayamot, Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija.

Nilo was the third priest who was killed in a span of six months. Father Marcelito Paez was gunned down in Jaen, Nueva Ecija last December 4, while Father Mark Ventura was killed by armed men in Gattaran, Cagayan Province.

“We weep for them, for their families and the entire country. We ask justice for them,” the Manila archbishop added.

Nilo’s killing sparked strong condemnation from different dioceses across the country and human rights groups.

Plea for Filipinos

Tagle then asked the Filipino Catholics not to heed “anger, envy, arrogance and revenge to hurt their fellowmen.”

“The Filipino who is truly free does not abuse, destroy and lambast others,” the archbishop added.

He also urged lawmakers and law enforcement agencies to review the laws on manufacture and use of firearms.

“Why are there so many guns or weapons at disposal?” Tagle said.

“Let us not wait for the day when it would be easier to buy guns than rice,” he added.

The members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines have not been remiss of condemning the rising spate of killings under the administration of the President Rodrigo Duterte. In September 2017, the CBCP issued its strongly worded statement against the drug war, and has continued to voice their condemnation of the deaths under this administration.

READ: Killing of priest ‘unchristian, un-Filipino’ — Cabanatuan bishop

On Monday, June 11, the Diocese of Cabanatuan slammed the killing of a priest as “unchristian,” “inhuman” and “un-Filipino.” – with a report from Evelyn Macairan