Philippines’ Anti-Terrorism Act is reminiscent of the dark history of martial law era, says CCA General Secretary

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

No preference updated.

22 July 2020
A demonstration against the Anti-Terrorism Bill in the Philippines by Church groups (Photo by Basilio Sepe)

CHIANG MAI: The Philippines’ new ‘Anti-Terrorism Act’, which took effect on Saturday, 18 July 2020, is reminiscent of the use of repressive force and human rights violations of the dark history of martial law era, stated the General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), Dr Mathews George Chunakara.

In a statement released on behalf of the CCA, the General Secretary stated that the new Anti-Terrorism Act would undermine basic freedoms and human rights as it would give overreaching powers to the Philippines government and would pave the way for large-scale violations of human rights. He further said that CCA condemned how the contentious Anti-Terrorism Act bill was fast-tracked and approved in both Houses of the Philippine Congress while the entire country’s attention was focused on the rampant spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement of the CCA General Secretary observed that the new law, under the Act’s ambiguous definition of terrorism, granted the government sweeping powers to curtail freedoms and criminalise acts that incite terrorism “by means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners, or other representations”. It also bestowed the President with the power to create an Anti-Terrorism Council that could tag individuals and groups as terrorists, allow authorities to detain suspected terrorists without charge for up to twenty-four days, and permit the government to conduct ninety days of surveillance and wiretaps.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Report on the ‘Human Rights Situation in the Philippines’ (UNHRC 44th Session, 30 June–20 July 2020) also expressed concern on the danger posed by the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Local and international human rights groups have voiced their concern and apprehension that the legislation could be abused to target the administration’s opponents, using the presidentially-appointed Anti-Terrorism Council that could designate anyone suspected a ‘terrorist’.

The CCA General Secretary’s statement also stated, “The CCA stands in solidarity with the peace-loving and progressive Filipino people in opposing the Anti-Terror Act. The CCA is alarmed at and condemns this law as a menace to the fundamental rights of the Filipino people. The CCA calls upon its member churches and councils to pray for the safety of the Filipino people, as they face an uncertain future.”

Please click here to read the full text of the CCA General Secretary’s Statement on Anti-Terrorism Act in the Philippines.