Priests report death threats, surveillance

Two weeks after Caloocan Bishop Pablo David confirmed that he has been receiving death threats, other priests have come forward to reveal that they have also received threatening messages and noticed possible surveillance of their residences.

At a press conference held in St. Vincent Seminary at Quezon City on Tuesday, Catholic priests Father Albert Alejo and Father Flavie Villanueva revealed threats sent to Alejo and to Lingayan-Dagupan Archbishop Soc Villegas, which came in form of text messages last month.

The text sent to Alejo went, “P—ina ka. Bilang na araw mo. Animal ka. ‘Di talaga kayo masabihan nila [Caloocan Bishop Ambo] David ano. Magkano ba gusto niyo? P—ina talaga kayo. Magkano ba gusto niyo? P—ina nyo, papatayin ko kayo.”

The text message sent to Villegas, on the other hand, went, “P—ina mo. Pakisabi sa ulupong mong obispo…na sila Alejo at Reyes. Pagsisihan niyo kapag ‘di kayo sumunod sa gusto ko. Ihanda niyo na ang lugar ng pabuburulan ninyo.”

Text to Fr. Alejo: Put*ngin* ka! Papatayin ko kayu...@gmanews pic.twitter.com/wuf0sEXOvl

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) March 11, 2019

The threats were sent amid President Rodrigo Duterte’s relentless attacks against Catholic priests and the Church—and their vocal opposition to his bloody drug war, which has killed thousands of mostly poor Filipinos since he took office in 2016.

“Bakit kayo nananakot? Palagay ko dahil takot rin sila. Meron silang kinatatakutan,” Alejo said.

“Ang taong nasanay sa dilim, nasisilaw sa liwanag,” he added.

Panelo guesses 'pranksters' again

Sought for comment, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the threats may just be pranks or coming from those who want to put the administration in a bad light. 

"[These] could be coming from pranksters, or could be from anti-Duterte trolls to put President Duterte in bad light or from personal enemies of the priests," Panelo said in a message to reporters.

"Sending threats via text messages is the easiest and convenient thing to do. You can’t trace the source," he added.

Panelo made a similar statement last month after David revealed the threats against him.

Surveillance

Villanueva also presented a video showing a man and a white van seemingly conducting surveillance over his residence in Tayuman, which also functions as a shelter for beggars.

Fr. Villanueva shows video of a guy and a white van conducting surveillance of his residence in Tayuman, Manila @gmanews pic.twitter.com/YQcelRxLBj

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) March 11, 2019

Father Robert Reyes, who said he has also received death threats, also reported that a supposed balut vendor frequents his residence, but remains quiet instead of shouting to sell his wares.

Villanueva, who spearheads the Paghilom program which aids the victims of the drug war, warned their critics, including the President, that such threats will not break them.

“This [work of aiding the poor] is the mandate not only of priests but all those baptized under the Catholic faith. We are here to stay,” Villanueva added. — with Virgil Lopez/BM, GMA News