Pastors file writ of amparo vs AFP

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines filed on Monday a writ of amparo before the Supreme Court due to the alleged red-tagging being done by members of the Philippine Army.

The group said that the petition is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is threatened or violated by public officials or private persons.

Batangas UCCP pastors and couple Edwin Egar and Julieta Egar, as well as former Barangay Captain Ronald Ramos filed the petition against Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, Philippine Army commander Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner, and 2nd Infantry Division commander Major General Roberto Capulong.

59th Infantry Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Teneza Jr., Sergeant Ronald Dalo, Sergeant John Granpil, Private First Class Borge Ebol, Roy De la Peña and Bong Samela were also included as respondents.

In the 62-page petition, the petitioners asked the High Court for a temporary protection order that will prohibit the respondents from entering within a one-kilometer radius of their residence or work address.

The TPO will also prohibit respondents from directly or indirectly communicating with the petitioners.

The petitioners also asked that they and their families would be protected by a private institution that is capable of securing their safety and asked for a production order that will order the respondents or any who have items that contain evidence relevant to the petition to produce the evidence and permit their inspection on behalf of the petitioners.

Atty. Gilbert Andres disclosed that they have evidence including video footages which show that officials and enlisted personnel of the 59th IB were casing the houses of the petitioners.

The counsel of the pastors also claimed that the petitioners had been threatened.