#wegotmail: KARAPATAN SMR denounces Marcos Jr.’s use of terror financing vs. church workers

KARAPATAN SMR assails the filing of financing terrorism charges against two church workers of the United Methodist Church (UMC) and one freelance driver as part of the Marcos Jr. regime’s policy of political persecution of the church workers – institutions and human rights and peace advocates using terror legislations. 

Rev. Julius Neri Camannong, District Superintendent of the Zamboanga Peninsula District and Rev. Joel Ordaneza, Administrative Pastor of Balingasan of the United Methodist Church, Inc., Davao Episcopal Area, along with Romeo A. Russell, a freelance for-hire driver, who are focused on promoting poor communities, support their struggle for justice, peace and human dignity, and exercising its prophetic role in providing sanctuary to human workers and defenders suffer state-perpetuated political persecution. 

Charges of violating RA 10168 or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 have been filed against the three by the Criminal Investigation, and Detection Group (CIDG), Zamboanga Sibugay to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Provincial Prosecutor's Office, Province of Zamboanga Sibugay the PPO designated to hear terrorism-related cases in Zamboanga Peninsula.

The three received subpoenas last December 2024 from the DOJ, PPO after a police major of the CIDG filed a trumped-up complaint of alleged terrorist financing against them.

The case against Rev. Juluis Neri Camannong, Rev. Joel Ordaneza and Romeo A.  Russel on the heels of the terrorist financing is based on a statement concocted by its state agent Nelson Bautista, Jr., whose identity is barely known by the three accused.  The three has already filed its counter affidavits to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office yesterday January 9, 2025 countering the charge and praying to be dropped. 

“This series of terrorist financing charges targeting church workers and individual are outrageous,” said KARAPATAN SMR spokesperson Grecian T. Asoy. 

“The Marcos Jr. regime would rather waste its time and resources on persecuting church workers and individual even as the country has yet to recover from being buffeted by economic hardships.”

“KARAPATAN slams the Marcos Jr. regime’s relentless hostility towards church workers, individual and human rights and peace advocates and demands a stop to the arbitrary filing of trumped-up terrorist financing cases against them,” concluded Asoy.