A Protestant church welcomed the dismissal of terrorism charges against one of its lay leaders and urged continued support for other persecuted church workers.
The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Council of Bishops expressed “its acquiescence of the Regional Trial Court Fourth Judicial Region, Branch 141, Cainta Rizal’s decision to dismiss the trumped case under the Terrorism Financing Act against UCCP Batangas Associate Conference Lay Leader Bro. Ronald Ramos.” The court cited “a lack of probable cause.”
“The dismissal of this case undermines the unfounded allegations made by state forces, whose intent is to intimidate rights advocates and tarnish the reputation of the church’s Prophetic Ministry,” the bishops said.
Ramos is one of two UCCP members from the Batangas Associate Conference charged under the Anti-Terrorism Law and for financing terrorism, alongside Rev. Edwin Egar.
Both were accused by state forces of supporting insurgent groups—claims the UCCP consistently rejected.
“The collective action of the community of faith continues to unveil the evil schemes of those who persecute many of God’s servants, further encouraging us to persist in the struggle for truth and justice,” the statement read.
“Their story reminds us how these unjust laws continue to wreak havoc to the land. Hence, we hold on to our call which resoundingly declared through the prophet Isaiah 10:1, ‘Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees.’”
The Council also called for solidarity with Rev. Nathaniel “Dodo” Vallente, who faces a court promulgation on June 5 at the Regional Trial Court, Seventh Judicial Region, Branch 51, in Carmen, Bohol. Vallente is charged with unlawful possession of small firearms and ammunition.
“We call on our brothers and sisters to join this hearing and stand alongside the Pastor and the UCCP Bohol Conference in their pursuit of truth and their declaration that all chains of injustice must be shattered.”
The bishops concluded their statement with a renewed commitment to the church’s prophetic role: “Let us diligently engage in our Prophetic role by unfolding the truth and imploring the authorities and the courts to allow justice to take precedence. God demands Justice to roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream, hence we must persist.”
