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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider SC issues protection order to 2 church pastors, 1 lay leader; orders military to leave them alone

SC issues protection order to 2 church pastors, 1 lay leader; orders military to leave them alone

Published Dec 16, 2022 06:35 pm

Supreme Court (SC)

The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a temporary protection order (TPO) to two church pastors and a lay leader who alleged they were accused by the military of “giving aid to communist insurgents” in their work for marginalized communities in Southern Tagalog provinces.

The TPO was issued to pastors Edwin R. Egar and Julieta R. Egar and lay leader Ronald M. Ramos of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

It prohibited the military officers and personnel named as respondents in the petition “from going within a radius of one kilometer of petitioners and their immediate families."

The Egars and Ramos filed a petition of a Writ of Amparo before the SC which granted their plea.

They told the SC they “are living in fear wondering whether tomorrow will be their last.”

They also said that they have been subjected to “military surveillance and have been receiving threatening text messages,” and that they “have also yet to be able to return to their homes for fear that instead of residing in a safe haven, they would be endangering themselves more by being open targets of the respondent officers and enlisted men of the military.”

A Writ of Amparo “is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity.”

Among those named respondents in their petition were Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner, commanding general of the Philippine Army; Maj. Gen. Roberto S. Capulong, commanding officer of the PA's 2nd Infantry Division; and Lt. Col. Ernesto r. Teneza Jr., commander of the 59th Infantry “Protector” Battalion in Quezon province.

The respondents were ordered to file their comment on the petition within 20 days from receipt of notice.

In their comment, the SC ordered the respondents to enumerate in details the following:

“The lawful defenses to show that respondents did not violate or threaten with violation the right to life, liberty and security of petitioners, through any act of omission.

“The steps or actions taken by respondents to determine the fate or whereabouts of petitioners and the person or persons responsible for the threat, act or omission against petitioners.

“All relevant information in the possession of respondents pertaining to the threat, act or omission against petitioners.”

The TPO was contained in a resolution issued by the SC as a full court.

TAGS: #SC #Egar #Writ of Amparo

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