Melo Commission Report: Presentation of Witnesses/Resource Persons

H. Presentation of United Church of Christ of the Philippines and the National Council of Churches of the Philippines.

On December 22, 2006, officials of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (�UCCP�) and the National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP�) met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Chairman Melo, among others. The UCCP and NCCP reported that 10 clergy and 5 lay workers of church-based programs have become victims of extrajudicial killings. They also mentioned that 8 UCCP members who were also active in people�s organizations were similarly slain. Among those mentioned in the list of slain clergymen is Bishop Alberto B. Ramento of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente whose case has been removed from the list of activist killings and has been classified as one of robbery.

While it is was not clear if these killings are within the Commission�s mandated scope of the inquiry, the same being neither activist nor media related, the Commission nevertheless endorsed these cases to the National Bureau of Investigation, through NBI Director and Commissioner Nestor Mantaring, who undertook to prioritize and expedite the investigation of these cases.

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[1] See also Update on Task Force Usig as of September 12, 2006, p. 8, submitted by Gen. Razon to the Commission on September 12, 2006,

[2] Id. on p. 18

[3] TSN, September 12, 2006, p. 30-31

[4] Gen. Esperon furnished the Commission with copies of the enumerated publications.

[5] TSN, September 14, 2006, pp. 6-7

[6] TSN, September 18, 2006, p. 3.

[7] TSN, September 14, 2006, p. 11

[8] Id at p. 12

[9] Id. at p. 13.

[10] Id. at pp. 30-31.

[11] Id. at p. 31.

[12] Id. at pp. 34-35.

[13] A list of the victims was furnished the Commission.

[14] TSN, September 14, 2006, pp. 36-37.

[15] The Commission formally referred the cases to the AFP for investigation. TSN, September 18, 2006, pp. 5-6.

[16]Id. at p. 12.

[17]Id at pp. 14, 17 & 19.

[18] Id at p. 17.

[19] Id at p. 20.

[20] Id at pp. 21-22.

[21] TSN, 18 September 2006, pp. 25-26.

[22] TSN, 18 September 2006, p. 26.

[23] Id at pp. 28-29.

[24] Id at p. 43.

[25] TSN, September 26, 2006 pages 4, 29; see also �Major General Jovito Palparan:- Coming To A Town Near You?� – Accessible at http://tornandfrayed.typepad.com/tornandfrayed/2005/10/maj_general

_jov.html

[26] Id. at p. 8.

[27] Id. at p. 10.

[28] Id. at p. 9.

[29] Id. at pp. 8-9.

[30] Id.

[31] Id. at p. 11.

[32] Id. at p. 14.

[33] Id.

[34] Id. at pp.14-15.

[35] Id. at pp. 13-15.

[36] Id. at p. 13.

[37] Id. at p. 61.

[38] Id. at p. 17.

[39] Id.

[40] Id. at p. 18; See also a copy of the article �Wagging the Buffalo�

[41] Id. at p. 19.

[42] Id. at p. 20.

[43] Id. at p. 21.

[44] Id. at p.22.

[45] Id. at pp. 25-26.

[46] Id. at p. 30.

[47] Id.

[48] Id. at p. 33.

[49] Id. at p. 34.

[50] Id. at p. 35.

[51] Id. at p. 32.

[52] Id.

[53] Id. at p. 33.

[54] Id. at p. 42.

[55] Id. at p. 43.

[56] Id. at p. 44.

[57] Id. at p. 47.

[58] Id.

[59] Id. at p. 51.

[60] Id. at p. 52.

[61] Id. at p. 53-54.

[62] Id. at p. 54.

[63] Id. at p. 55.

[64] Id. at p. 57.

[65] Id. at p. 58.

[66] Id. at p. 72.

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