Rappler.com-Aug 18
The Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) on Thursday, August 18, denounced the charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) which accused them of allegedly providing funds to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). In a statement, the religious group tagged the latest move by the DOJ as “Marcosian” and said it is part of the “worsening state repression against human rights defenders” in the country, which has affected the group’s ability to carry out their work. “Why is the government – especially from [Rodrigo] Duterte to [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] – hellbent in using all resources at its disposal to shut down the [RMP] for good?” it asked. “The Marcos [Jr.] government is using the same playbook by predecessor Duterte by demonizing legal democratic organizations such as RMP which provide much-needed services to the people and putting its members in direct harm’s way,” the group added. The DOJ on Monday, August 15, charged at least 16 people, including nuns, affiliated with the RMP for allegedly violating Section 8(ii) of Republic Act 10168 or the anti-terrorism financing act, which penalizes individuals found to have made “available any property or funds, or financial services or other related services” to an individual or group designated as a terrorist by the government. Read more at: https://www.rappler.com/nation/statement-rural-missionaries-philippines-terror-financing-charge-part-worsening-state-repression/
