TACCAD, JOHN PAULO M.

BSA25

Our Socio-Political Involvement

1. Watch the Video below then do an online research on the role of different religious groups
and personalities during the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos, particularly during the
Martial Law years.

I. Christians
The Roman Catholic Church protestant participated in debates over the political commitment
proper to Christians around the Philippines. Speaking out the wrong doings and incompetent
practices of the government specifically to the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos during the martial
law years. It was led by Arch Bishop Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila, together with the church
leaders that became vocal against martial-law system because of the maltreatment and disrespect
in the reputation and the lives of every Filipinos. Bishop Julio Labayen, the Bishop who lead and
served as the head of the church’s social action group and He is also one of the 15 militants in the
governing body of 98 Bishops that complained about the Military abuses.

II. Indigenous Faiths

Indigenous Religions used to be against the Marcos administration during the Martial-law years,
one remarkable existence is that the Kalinga and Bontoc group of tribes had built up resistance
against the Marcoses due to their belief that their lands are sacred because of the Chico River Dam
project which triggered them, until one of the leaders of Kalinga was killed by the Marcos
administration that rattled the public because of them being against and a threat to the dictator’s
government.

III. Martyrs and Heroes

Fr. Zacarias Agatep

Late September 6, 1936 to October 27, 1982, he was the parish priest of Our Lady of Hope Parish
in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur. He helped organize the cooperatives and he shared knowledge to the
farmers about land reform, arrested due to subversion in 1980. He chose to be vocal about the
abuses and maltreatment of the Marcos administration until he was shot dead by an unidentified
gunmen un 1982.
TACCAD, JOHN PAULO M.
BSA25

Filomena Asuncion

Known as Liway Asuncion and a graduate BA in Christian Education, she joined the ecumenical
movement of Catholics and protestants called Timpuyog Dagiti Iglesia Which purpose is to address
the plight exploited farmers in Isabela where lands and infrastructures was monopolized by elite
families. In 1981 she was one of the arrested farmers from a protest rally in Ilagan, Isabela Cagayan
Valley. When she was released she joined the revolutionary underground and worked full-time in
organizing the defense of local farmers for their rights. She was then captured alive by government
forces in 1983 and was maltreated and abused before being killed.

Sr. Violeta Marcos

Ma. Violeta Marcos was a catholic nun who is best known for being the co-founder and pioneer
director of the Augustinian missionaries of the Philippines, and for her contributions and
involvement on the resistance against the Marcos administration and the Martial-Law System,
through her diocesan social action engagements in Negros Occidental and being part of the human
rights organization which is the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines. In 1975 Violeta gave up
her education and she became a full time secretary of the Justice for Sugar workers Committee.
She then opened her convent to the victims of atrocities and convinced fellow religious and lay
leaders in Negros to do the same. She helped create Human Rights network and organizations that
showed and documented the abuses which found legal aids for the victims and gave support to the
victims and their families.

2a. How did the Catholic Church and/ or other churches fulfill their prophetic mission of
promoting justice and truth during the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos particularly during
the martial law years?

Churches with different religions used to be confident and vocal on the situation during the
Martial-Law years including priests, nuns, Bishops, Missionaries and Believers in diverse culture
and religion, participating through protests that made every Filipino Citizen see the reality that he
country and its countrymen is experiencing and it encouraged a lot to be vocal about the rights of
every human being under the Marcos Regime. Individuals that joined organizations and forces
promoting justice and liberty for every worker especially Filipino farmers and industrial workers
TACCAD, JOHN PAULO M.
BSA25

to claim back their properties and rights illegally possessed by the elites and the government under
the administration of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Nuns and Priests than joined the
resistance against the maltreatment of the Marcos administration and opened the convent of the
victims of atrocities by taking care of them, giving medicines and clothes, which led to a greater
force and resistance against Martial-Law. Personalities that risked their lives and families through
the participation in protests and activities to bring justice and bring back the rights of every
Filipino.

2b.Give at least two (2) specific examples on how the catholic church and other churches
fulfill their prophetic mission of promoting truth and justice today.

I. Participating and being Involved in Political Issues

The recent election showed how different churches participate in such a big matter, it was like a
flashback since another Marcos which caused misfortunes and maltreatment of human rights of
every Filipino in the past Decades. As the church stands for the truth and what is right, it is indeed
that the Catholic church stand for what they think is good for the community regardless of race,
gender, ethnicity and religion is, they fought for democracy and the opportunity to have a clean
and right government and hope to restructure the broken justice system, because this past six years,
all of us witnessed another chapter of nightmare under the Duterte administration which killed a
lot of lives and gave injustices especially to the poor who has no connection with the government,
and we all know that the Catholic church is against of killing, and it is indeed inappropriate to take
someone’s life no matter what the reason is. Last May 2022, the Catholic Church joined and
supported the endorsement of Leni Robredo, she is the outgoing Vice President of the Philippines
and has a clean track record with no stain of corruption or injustice, she even made projects,
activities, and organizations mainly to help the poor and the needy, Built infrastructures and
resources for education, environment and Health, especially on the first outbreak of COVID-19.
This matter where the Catholic Church is not questionable in the first place, but a lot of people that
is against the candidate “Leni Robredo” shouts and spoke about the separation of the state and
church without knowing the real meaning and rationale of what they are saying. For me this is a
Big change, A starting point and a harmless revolutionary act of the church and all the people that
will surely benefit the lives of many. The Church must not be afraid for they are standing with
what is right.
TACCAD, JOHN PAULO M.
BSA25

II. Catholic Church Against Drug War

Until now the case of Kian Delos Santos has not been served justice yet, this major case has been
contested by the Church especially by Bishop Pablo Virgillo David who is known for being
outspoken critique of Drug War in the Philippines, Kian Delos Santos a 17-year old boy was found
dead with a gunshot on his head. A pistol and a bag of shabu were found on the crime scene which
was used as evidence by the police against the child, but the CCTV showed that these two cops
beaten and salvaged Kian Delos Santos ad left him dead beside a basketball court. This matter
enraged the Bishop, the bishop said that this is a form of abuse and it seems that there is no law
anymore because of what happened, then a 13-year old girl served as a witness who saw what
happened to the boy, she ran through the Church of Bishop and took her in. Catholic priest lead
the funeral procession of the 17-year old boy who was killed by the police as a sign of plead for
justice for what this boy had gone through. More of the Roman Catholic Church Officials have
chosen to speak up with a growing protest against the unlawful and immoral killing of the alleged
drug offenders which a 17-year old boy named Kian Delos Santos was among the victims. There
are hundreds of young people that gathered at the People Power Monument on Edsa, Quezon City
to condemn the killings and demand an impartial investigation of the unlawful and unjust death of
the 17-year old boy, followed by the tolling of bell of all churches within 5 minutes starting 8 p.m.
within the diocese which lead by Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas who is the
president of the Catholic Bishops’s Conference in the Philippines. The Diocese of Balanga Bataan
also joined the call for an end to the killings, they also issued a special prayer for conversion and
change of hearts for peace and security to be recited during every mass after the post-communion
prayer. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma also joined several groups in demanding justice for the 17-
year old boy and an end to killing of drug suspects.

References and Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_sector_resistance_against_the_Marcos_dictatorship

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/01/25/how-catholic-church-fighting-
drug-war-philippines?fbclid=IwAR1s3ihczTBrLgJrb7hHZfm-ChdxAq6zEqFM5KAtGQijuqveF-
uwoo-9vbo
TACCAD, JOHN PAULO M.
BSA25

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/924556/more-church-officials-speak-out-vs-drug-
killings?fbclid=IwAR1XhkIXqr7ZVhYDTjDSuhvnvirKmqWh1Opy44bMT1pN_bMfDXPDxSv
sjFA