Papal Nuncio alarmed by spate of killings in RP

The papal envoy to the Philippines expressed alarm yesterday at the growing number of murders of journalists and activists, saying the country’s reputation was suffering.

"I am surprised to see that in the Philippines there is still an activity of high incidence of a moral and political violence against those who profess different political ideologies," said Papal Nuncio Archbishop Fernando Filoni.

He told a forum that while the church was heartened by President Arroyo’s recent abolition of the death penalty, the positive image created by this act was damaged by the rash of murders.

"It will truly be a contradiction, if on the one hand, we practically abolished the death penalty and yet on the other hand we are not respecting or implementing the rights of the human race," he added.

Last month, Arroyo won praise from Pope Benedict XVI in a personal meeting at which she presented him with the documents on the abolition of the death penalty– a longtime priority of the church in this country.

Filoni did not say who might be behind the murders, which leftist groups have widely blamed on the government. They charge that nearly one hundred of their members have been murdered since Arroyo came to power in 2001.

Five journalists have been murdered this year compared to seven last year, leading the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders) to say in a 2006 report that "after Iraq, the Philippines is the most dangerous country for journalists."

The government has suggested that communist insurgents may be behind many of the killings as part of an internal purge. — AFP