Take Action

September 29, 2008

As Christians we abhor the continuing violations of human rights and stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in the Philippines for the restoration of free and democratic processes, including the right to dissent. We advocate through our prayers and actions for the safe and immediate release of James Balao and for an end to violence against church and civil society leaders and activists. James Balao is a founding member of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), a United Church partner that works for human rights in the Philippines. He has been missing since September 17, 2008, and is believed to have been abducted by state security forces.

For months before his disappearance, Balao had reported increasing surveillance of his family. The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance, a branch of the CPA, believes that the surveillance and enforced disappearance of Balao was perpetrated by state security forces as a part of their policy of categorizing legal people's organizations and their staff and volunteers as "front organizations" and "supporters" of armed insurgent groups. This has led to surveillance, harassment, abduction, and killing of members and leaders of progressive people's organizations all over the country.

James Balao has been highly involved in CPA and other human rights organizations, researching and documenting land rights, agricultural, and self-determination issues under the oppressive regime.

The Cordillera Peoples Alliance is concerned that Balao faces increased risk of torture and extrajudicial killing the longer he remains in the custody of his captors.

• Your prompt response to CPA's appeal is very important. International and local pressure on the Philippines government recently resulted in the release of Pastor Berlin Guerrero, a human rights activist with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

Take Action

Please send letters, e-mails or fax messages calling for

• the immediate disclosure of the whereabouts and release of James Balao by his captors
• full assistance of the Philippine National Police in the search for James Balao
• the immediate termination of the practice of labelling legal progressive organizations such as the Cordillera Peoples Alliance as "sectoral fronts" of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, and the New Peoples Army

Please send your letters to:

• H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
  President of the Republic
  Malacañang Palace
  JP Laurel St., San Miguel
  Manila, Philippines
  Fax: 011-632-742-1641; 011-632-929-3968
  E-mail: H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
• Sec. Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr.
  Department of National Defense
  Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,
  E. de los Santos Avenue , Quezon City, Philippines
  Fax: 011-632-911 6213
  E-mail: Sec. Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr.
• Sec. Raul M. Gonzalez
  Department of Justice
  Padre Faura St., Manila, Philippines
  Fax: (011-632) 521-1614
  E-mail: Sec. Raul M. Gonzalez
• Hon. Leila De Lima
  Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
  SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
  Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
  Fax: (011-632) 929 0102
  E-mail: Hon. Leila De Lima
• Atty. Amador P. Batay-An
  Regional Director
  NCIP-Cordillera Administrative Region
  2/F Hillside Square, Km. 4, La Trinidad,
  Benguet Province, 2601, Philippines
  Tel./Fax: 011-074422-41-73

Please send copies of your letters to:

• Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)
  #2 P. Guevarra Street
  Baguio City
  Philippines 2600
  Fax: 011-6374-443 7159
  E-mail: Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)
• Bern Jagunos
  Program Coordinator, Asia
  Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit
  The United Church of Canada
  3250 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ON  M8X 2Y4
  Fax: 416-231-3103
  E-mail: Bern Jagunos