Archbishop Villegas, 3 priests get death threats
Credit to Author: Alexander Magno| Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2019 10:21:17 +0000
MANILA, Philippines — Apart from Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas and three priests have also received death threats.
The priests themselves — Fathers Flavie Villanueva, Robert Reyes, and Albert Alejo — made this revelation on Monday at a press conference held at the St. Vincent School of Theology on Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City.
READ: Bishop confirms death threats
“Aaminin ko po na lumabas po kami dahil may takot din kami,” Alejo said. “Nananawagan kami sa mga utak, sa mga ulo, sa mga pasimuno ng pagpatay, itigil na po natin ’yan. Itigil na ninyo ang mga nakawilihan ninyong negosyo.”
[I admit that we came out with this because we feel some fear. We are calling on the brains, the head, the masterminds of killings to stop it. Stop doing this business that you’ve come to enjoy.]
Alejo presented some excerpts from the death threats that he, David, and Villegas had received.
Alejo also said that, compared to other people, they considered themselves still lucky to receive such warnings against their lives.
Villanueva also showed CCTV footage showing a masked man walking back and forth outside his office in Santa Cruz, Manila.
Reyes said that they would not be silenced by the text messages sent to them as the only person they feared was God.
“Hindi pananahimik, kundi ang malinaw, mahinahon, at matapang na pamamahayag at paninindigan. Itigil na ang pananakot. Itigil na ang pagpatay,” he said.
[We prefer not silence but a clear, calm, and courageous declaration and a firm stand. Stop the threats. Stop the killings.] /atm