Group of non-Catholic churches alarmed by ‘increasing’ impunity in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — A worldwide inter-church organization decried the “worsening human rights situation and increasing violence and impunity” in the Philippines under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement Wednesday, the World Council of Churches expressed alarm over the spate of violence and other human rights abuses in the Philippines in the context of the government’s ferocious anti-narcotics campaign, imposition of martial law in Mindanao and non-tolerance of dissent.

“[The WCC central committee] urges the government of the Philippines to end the culture of impunity, order the investigation of all killings and drop the Department of Justice’s petition to declare activists as terrorists,” the organization said.

WCC also called for the lifting of martial rule in the southern Philippines and the resumption of the formal peace talks between the Philippine government and the communist rebels.

The government on Thursday suspended all backchannel talks with the communist movement for three months pending the review of all signed agreements. Last week, it was announced that the supposed resumption of talks would not push through.

The organization issued the statement more than a week after Catholic priest Richmond Nilo was killed by unidentified gunmen.

WCC member churches include Orthodox churches as well as African Instituted, Anglican, Assyrian, Baptist, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist and Pentecostal, among others.

The Catholic Church is not part of the WCC, which represents 500 million believers.