Families of the desaparecidos, political prisoners and victims of extrajudicial killings welcomed the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the country and asked him to join in their pursuit for justice.
Families of the desaparecidos, political prisoners and victims of extrajudicial killings welcomed the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the country and asked him to join in their pursuit for justice.
“We ask Pope Francis to hear our stories. Ours are stories of oppression, injustice and struggle. Our loved ones were illegally arrested and detained, or killed, or disappeared for believing that a just and peaceful society is possible,” Nikki Gamara, daughter of political prisoner Renante Gamara said during the gathering. Nikki’s father was a workers’ union organizer when he was arrested April 3, 2012 for false charges of kidnapping and murder. “My father has been in prison for nearly three years now, facing a crime he never committed, because this government has great disdain for his political beliefs and activism for the workers,” Nikki said.
“The thoughts of Pope Francis on ‘the current economic systems as unjust at its root’ are the same evil economic and political system that brought our loved ones to their fate. Hearing the Pope speak of social reforms which favour the poor and the oppressed give us continued hope that together with the Pope and church leaders, we can seek justice along with them,” the young Gamara continued.
Also at the gathering was Mrs. Linda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn Cadapan who disappeared in 2006 with fellow student Karen Empeno. “Disappearances is something that Pope Francis know all too well for this happened in his country Argentina. Unfortunately, in the Philippines, enforced disappearance is not yet a thing of the past. It is continuing and has victimized my daughter and many others,” Mrs. Cadapan said. “We hope that these similar experiences, the similar struggles in finding justice be our point of unity with the Pope,” Mrs. Cadapan said.
During the gathering, the families of victims of human rights violations announced their plan to hold activities in the coming days to call on His Holiness to intercede for the release of political prisoners and justice for victims of human rights violations. ###