I received this email from Pastor Berlin’s wife earlier this week. Please read through to the bottom of the email, which tells you how you can support him through a letter writing campaign that is designed to put pressure on the government for his safe release. I strongly encourage you to do so for the sake of this brother who has been unjustly imprisoned and tortured for his faith.
-Sean
Dear Brother and Sister in Christ,
Please include in your prayers my husband and our family’s appeal to the Supreme Court for the issuance of resolution. Its been one year since he abducted in front of us last May 27,2008.
Below you will find Pastor Berlin’s statement and our letter campaign for the the court to give attention on Pastor Berlin’s case. Thank you so much and may the Lord continue to bless you and your family.
In Christ,
Mylene Guerrero
wife of Pastor Berlin
One Year of Deprivation, One Year of Service
It has been said that no one truly knows
a nation until one has been inside its jails.
A nation should not be judged by how it treats
Its highest citizens, but its lowest ones
Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
It has been exactly one year since I was thrown in prison- a year stolen from me and my family and friends by a heartless callous regime who claims to have protected the basic human rights of its citizens and blatantly lies to the face of the international community that its human rights record is clean and satisfactory.
One year ago, operatives of the Naval Intelligence Security Force (NISF) snatched me away from my family. Terror and shock was written on their faces and of those who witnessed the late afternoon abduction. No warrants were presented by the men in plainclothes. I was handcuffed, blindfolded and subjected to physical and mental torture for more than twelve hours. Finding nothing to convict me of any crime, they turned me over to the Cavite Philippine National Police (PNP) at its headquarters in Imus, Cavite. The Police tried to cover up the abduction by saying the arrest was legal and presented two old warrants of arrest – one was for inciting to sedition and the other for murder. The first one was served to me in 1991 and have posted bail for my freedom. The case did not prosper and there was no court litigation. The arrest warrant for murder issued in 1992 arose from the killing of a union leader in 1990 where I had nothing to do about. It was the PC-INP Investigator who linked me to the case by showing a marked photograph to the alleged lone witness. The RTC Judge who issued the warrant did not personally investigate the witness nor conduct a preliminary investigation. Since I did not receive any sub-poena, I was not given a chance to answer the charges.
I stand pat on the belief that the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration is responsible for my abduction, torture and incarceration through its so-called anti-terrorism program now implemented under the Human Security Act of 2007. My case is clearly a counter-insurgency operation which, like any other operation conducted by military elements, have grossly violated my rights as a citizen. And now I ask what has the GMA government done to those who have unlawfully arrested me, tortured me, and caused my family and friends to suffer?
The recent abduction, torture and four-day involuntary detention of my co-worker UCCP Pastor Rodel Canja, which I vehemently denounce, only proves how stone-hearted the Arroyo Government until now. It has never abandoned its unjust annihilative war against its own people. Its rhetoric of peace and peace talks serve only to mask its beastly character.
A year of prison life has taught me valuable lessons.
I experienced the dismal subhuman condition and of government neglect of jails and detention centers and the deliberately sluggish, almost lazy litigation of court cases.
I listened to numerous inmate testimonies of police brutality
and the use of torture to force arrested persons to admit
crimes they may or may not have committed.
I heard how commonplace the stories about some judges
and government prosecutors being bought and bribed to
favor moneyed and powerful parties.
All these point out to the unfair justice system and the oppressive prison institutions which are all anti-poor and repressive of the people’s dissent and disgust of the prevailing social order.
While I wait for the Supreme Court decision on my petition for freedom, I continue to know what languishing in jail means. And as I suffer the consequences of professing my Christian faith I will continue to serve the people especially those who suffer with me in jail because of the “evil” in power.
Pastor Berlin Guerrero
Cavite Provincial Jail
Trece Martirez City
Cavite, Philippines
P..s
Below is our letter writting campaign… please help us!
Free Berlin Movement
Letter Writing Campaign
As is has already been one-year that Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero has been in prison, we enjoin you to add your voice to the many who are praying for his release. After careful consideration, we are appealing for you to write letters to two places—the Supreme Court where a motion for Pastor Berlin’s release has been pending since August, 2007 and to the Solicitor General who is opposing Pastor Berlin’s release. We are also asking that you send a copy of your appeal letters to the family of Pastor Berlin Guerrero both to boost their moral and so that we are able to update you any future actions of news on the case of Pastor Berlin. We have highlighted in the sample letter form the number of weeks Pastor of Berlin is detained. Our target is to organize our local churches, ecumenical and international partners and solidarity links to send at least one letter per week as a sustained reminder of the broad support for Pastor Berlin and his family.
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Please send the following letter to the Supreme Court Justices individually at the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Padre Faura Street corner Taft Avenue, Ermita 1000, Manila. Send a copy of the letter to Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno to Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero Family c/o UCCP North-East Southern Tagalog Conference, 9 Kanluran Road, Los Banos, Los Banos, Laguna.
Hon Reynato S. Puno, Chief of Justice
Hon. Arturo Brion, Associate Justice
Hon. Ruben T. Reyes, Associate Justice
Hon. Antonio Nachura, Associate Justice
Hon. Leonardo A. Quisumbing, Associate Justice
Hon. Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Associate Justice
Hon. Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, Associate Justice
Hon. Antonio T. Carpio, Associate Justice
Hon. Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez, Associate Justice
Hon. Renato C. Corona, Associate Justice
Hon. Conchita Carpio-Morales, Associate Justice
Hon. Romeo J. Callejo, Sr. Associate Justice
Hon. Adolfo S. Azcuna, Associate Justice
Hon. Dante O. Tinga, Associate Justice
Hon. Minita Chico-Nazario, Associate Justice
Hon. Cancio C. Garcia, Associate Justice
Hon. Teresita De Castro, Associate Justice
To the Honorable Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines:
On May 27, 2007 Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero was abducted in front of his wife and children as they traveled home from the local church where he was pastor in Malaban, Binan, Laguna. After heavy torture and interrogation completely unrelated to the charge against him, Pastor Berlin has now spent 48 weeks in prison on a trumped-up charge of murder.
We appeal for a speedy resolution of the case of Pastor Berlin Guerrero. We know that Pastor Berlin continues his pastoral ministry within the Cavite Provincial Jail, and we are certain that he is detained for political rather than criminal reasons. We urge you to prioritize this case as testament to the pursuit of justice and democracy in the Philippines.
Pastor Berlin V.. Guerrero is one amongst many Filipinos who have been abducted, tortured, disappeared and killed under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Administration. We enjoin your efforts to bring justice to the many victims of Human Rights Violations. Our prayers are with you as you are challenged to address these injustices. We join this appeal for a speedy resolution of the case of Pastor Berlin as we also join in the efforts to bring peace based on justice to the Filipino people.
Sincerely yours,
(Your name)
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And the following Letter to the Solicitor General:
Hon. Agnes VST Devanadera
Solicitor General, Republic of the Philippines
134 Amorsolo St. Legaspi Village, Makati City
Dear Hon. Agnes VST Devanadera:
We appeal for your support for the speedy resolution of the case of Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero, now pending with the Supreme Court. We are certain that Pastor Berlin has had nothing to do with the murder of which he has been accused. As a servant of the people of the Philippines, we appeal to your better wisdom toward justice for you to allow the release Pastor Berlin Guerrero who has already been detained for more than 48 weeks. The release of Pastor Berlin will be step toward peace and democracy in the Philippines.
Sincerely yours,
(Your name)
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Thank you for your support and participation.
Social poster
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so how did this dude get his email out to his wife or a letter? I’m surprised they didn’t censor his letter.
My understanding from his family is that he has been allowed limited communication. Run a google search of his name and more details will come up that might paint a fuller picture.