The Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) has denounced government charges that it is financing communist rebels, saying these are nothing but ‘demonization’ of their mission works.
In a statement, the Catholic organization said the accusations, have “negatively affected” its various ministries in sustainable agriculture, education, health, environment protection, and defense of human rights, among others.
“RMP’s mission work has been seriously hampered because of the relentless state attacks, depriving much-needed services to the poor,” CBCP News quoted RMP.
The Department of Justice earlier indicted 16 individuals, mostly members of RMP including five nuns for the non-bailable offense of allegedly providing funds to the New People’s Army.
The RMP denied the allegation saying that all its projects “are well-documented, reported and accounted for.” “It has complied with requirements in securing funds for their projects, including audits,” it said.
The religious group expressed “serious concerns” for the safety of those charged, nothing that two are already jailed “on other trumped-up charges.”
The RMP claimed that the Marcos administration is using “the same playbook” of his predecessor “by demonizing legal democratic organizations” and “putting its members in direct harm’s way.”
Founded in 1969, the RMP is one of the many mission partners of the Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP), formerly the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP).
