“Patuloy pa rin ang karahasan at pagpatay dito sa aming paligid. Kaya habang ipinagdarasal ka namin, sana ay ipagdasal mo rin kami dahil nasa gitna pa rin kami ng mga pagsubok dito,” Bishop Ambo David said in his message to opposition Senator Leila de Lima during the mass for the Feast of the Sto. Niño at the San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan today, adding that just this week, there are seven new victims, four of which were confirmed dead, while three are in critical conditions.
Bishop David, who was one of the members of the clergy accused of sedition and other criminal charges, discussed Sen. De Lima’s unjust detention in his homily, putting emphasis on the politically-charged nature of her case.
“Alam po ninyo na tatlong taon na siyang nakabilanggo sa salang hanggang ngayon ay hindi mapatunayan sa mga korte… Ipagdasal po natin na siya ay makalaya na at maipagpatuloy ang kaniyang paglilingkod bilang isang nahalal na mambabatas sa ating Senado,” the bishop of the diocese of Caloocan said.
The Holy Mass was celebrated in thanksgiving for the strong international solidarity against the Duterte regime’s abuses and other developments in the human rights movement.
Special intentions were also offered for all the victims of human rights violations, especially in Caloocan.
“Ang Misang ito’y alay din ng mga kapamilya, mga asawang nabalo at mga batang naulila ng mga nabiktima ng mga pagpaslang, mga biktima ng extrajudicial killings sa ating Diocese,” the bishop said.
Bishop David reiterated the importance of keeping our faith strong amid sufferings, emphasizing in his message that, “Huwag nating hayaang lumiit ang ating pananampalataya sa gitna ng mga pagsubok na ito.
Sa gitna ng mga pagsubok, lalo tayong lumalakas at tumitibay ang paninindigan para sa kabutihan, para sa paghahari ng kapayapaan at katarungan sa daigdig.”
After the Mass, Bishop Ambo gave a Sto. Niño image to Sen. Leila through her staff.
In a letter, Sen. Leila thanked the bishop for celebrating a mass for EJK victims and their families, saying that with the strong solidarity of the international community, we are now closer to the vindication that has eluded us under Duterte’s rule.