Bishops advocate non-violent solution

THE Philippine bishops have called for an end to the country's leftist insurgency through non-violence, but they stopped short of formally condemning violent right-wing vigilante groups which have emerged to oppose the rebels.
The bishops expressed their concern over vigilante activities during a luncheon session with President Corazon Aquino. Participants said the president promised to investigate reports of abuse by vigilantes.
The bishops, meeting in Tagaytay City in July, used "Vigilantism," a paper prepared by the Jesuit-run Institute on Church and Social Issues, as the basis of their discussions. The paper focused on non-violence and the participation of the general public in resolving the vigilante problem. It said vigilantes are mixed with religious fanatic sects and rich, powerful overlords who have narrow material and political interests. During the meeting, vigilante opponents among the bishops said the right-wing groups are guilty of many human rights abuses and are directed toward a militaristic society. But some bishops said vigilantes are less evil than the communist New People's Army.
Residents of Kabankalan, Philippines, have accused the vigilante group El Tigre (The Tiger) of burning the parish church, a Catholic high school, the priests' residence and part of the public market. El Tigre members blamed the New People's Army.
• The Philippine bishops' National Secretariat for Social Action has been reorganised following accusations that it has diverted church funds to the leftist underground.
But a five-bishop panel established to audit the secretariat's activities said that donated funds had been channeled to the proper recipients.