Pax Christi Victoria

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Murder of Bishop Alberto Ramento

“I know they are going to kill me next, but never will I abandon my duty to God and my ministry to the people.”
(A statement of Bishop Alberto B. Ramento to his family.)

The Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) has once again made a precious offering in the continuing task of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the brutal killing of the Most Reverend Alberto B. Ramento, the 9th Obispo Maximo of the Church.

The good bishop was slain by faceless assassins who broke through the rectory where he was staying at around four o’clock in the morning of October 03, 2006 in the Parish of San Sebastian, Tarlac City. He was awakened in his sleep when the assassins had entered his room and stabbed him seven times to death. We denounced in the strongest possible terms this barbaric and dastardly act against a man of the cloth within the premises of his own church.

Initial police investigation reports point to the incident as a mere case of robbery with homicide. However, the Ramento family, the clergy and the faithful of the Diocese of Tarlac believe that the motive is much deeper than what has come out from the spot investigation. There are glaring indications that Bishop Ramento’s murder was thoroughly planned and politically motivated. We believe that the brutal killing was the inevitable consequence of his principled engagement with the people and their struggle for the fullness of life.

Bishop Ramento, aside from being a well-loved pastor by his clergy and faithful, has earned the reputation as a social prophet, and an icon in the nationalist struggle of the Filipino masses with his uncompromising stand for national sovereignty and patrimony. He was a true advocate of just peace. As a matter of fact, Bishop Ramento is part of the Monitoring Group in the Peace Talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front Philippines.

To read the full article from Iglesia Filipina Independiente, click on:
IFI