UCCP Pastor shot dead in the town of Abuyog, Leyte, Eastern Visayas, Philippines

UA case type:

Assassination

Victim(s):

Filomino Catambis

Male, 60 years old, married with 6 children
A resident of Abuyog, Leyte
Pastor, United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in the town of Mahaplag, Leyte

Place of the incident:

Sitio Catugan, Brgy. Balucawe, Abuyog, Leyte

Date of the incident:

23 January 2008, around 7:00 in the morning

Alledged perpetrator(s):

Two men on board a motorcycle believed to be military agents

At around 7:00 in the morning of 23 January 2008, Pastor Filomino Catambis was on his way home to the town of Abuyog, Leyte on board his motorcycle from his chapel in Mahaplag. As he was traveling along the road in Sitio Catugan in Brgy. Balucawe, two men on board a motorcycle overtook him and shot him several times with a 9mm pistol. Police recovered 9 empty shells at the crime scene. He was brought to a local hospital in the area but was pronounced dead-on-arrival. He sustained nine gunshot wounds.

Filomino was an ordained pastor of the Northeastern Leyte Conference (NELCON) of the UCCP.

UCCP is a church that envisioned a responsible, empowered, self-reliant and caring community of Christian believers committed to the pursuit of a transformed church and society towards an abundant and meaningful life for all. It aims to enrich the lifework of the communities where the local churches are located and to deepen the impact of its collective response to societal and national issues.

Pastor Filomino Catambis was the second pastor of the NELCON killed by alleged military agents. On 13 May 2005, Rev. Edison Lapuz, the Conference Minister of NELCON was shot to death in public by two men near his residence in Brgy. Crossing, San Isidro, Leyte.

UCCP is set to conduct a fact finding mission in Leyte in the first week of February.

Recommended action:

Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:

The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into the assassination of Pastor Filomino Catambis.
The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of assassination.
The immediate protection and proper indemnification of the victim/s; and
The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of these instruments' provisions.

You may send your communications to:

H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Republic
Malacanang Palace,
JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila Philippines
Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
Cell#: (+ 63) 919 898 4622 / (+63) 917 839 8462
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph [1] / opnet@ops.gov.ph [2]

Jesus D. Dureza
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
*Office of the Peace Process
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City 1605
Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066
Mobile:
Fax:+63 (2) 635 9579
osec@opapp.gov.ph [3]

Department of National Defense
Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,
E. de los Santos Avenue
Quezon City
Voice:+63(2) 911-9281 / 911-0488
Fax:+63(2) 911 6213
osnd@philonline.com [4]

Hon. Raul M. Gonzalez
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721
Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214
Fax: (+632) 521-1614
Email sad@doj.gov.ph [5]

Hon. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph [6]