Giving EJK witnesses sanctuary all in pursuit of truth — CBCP

An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Public Affairs Committee (CBCP-PAC) on Tuesday clarified that their efforts to provide sanctuary to those who want to reveal information about extra judicial killings (EJKs) seek truth and does not intend to put the government in a bad light. (Photo By Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Public Domain)

MANILA — An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Public Affairs Committee (CBCP-PAC) on Tuesday clarified that their efforts to provide sanctuary to those who want to reveal information about extra judicial killings (EJKs) seek truth and does not intend to put the government in a bad light.

“The Church is not one to take steps to destabilize the institution or to undermine the President. This is all in the guise of truth, seeking for the truth,” CBCP-PAC executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said.

The Catholic priest added: “We hope that the people will not think that the Church is coming into the picture as part of the efforts to undermine our President or the government. There is no such thing.”

Secillano believes that the possible reason why law enforcers would want to seek the help of members of the clergy is that they feel safe with them.

“Those are their decisions because, perhaps, they feel safer in the hands of the Church, in the hands of the priests,” he added.

Earlier, CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the Church is ready to provide sanctuary to those who need them, including their families after revealing that there are some law enforcers seeking refuge in the Church and ready to share their personal knowledge of the EJKs in the country.