Religious to discuss human rights

MANILA, Dec. 2, 2010—About 100 religious sisters, priests and brothers will meet on Saturday to discuss human rights issues.

Organized by the Religious Discernment Group, the “advent gathering” will be held at the UST’s Thomas Aquinas Research Center Auditorium in España, Manila.

Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, Jr., OP, a convenor of the Religious Discernment Group, said the conference will focus on the theme, “The Struggle for Human Rights and Religious Prophecy Today.”

“This is our way of commemorating Universal Declaration of Human Rights and rekindling our struggle and pledge for protection of human rights,” Pedregosa said.

Resource speakers include Girlie Padilla, Secretary General of Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace who will discuss the Year-End Report on the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines

Desaparecidos chairperson Mrs. Editha Burgos, mother of disappeared activist Jonas Burgos, and Mr. Sonny Fernandez, director of National Union of Journalists in the Philippines are set to deliver their talks.

NBN-ZTE whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada and Mrs. Ofel Balleta, the mother of one of the so-called “Morong 43” victims will also deliver their testimonies.

A concelebrated Mass will be held to formally end the conference and will be highlighted by a “tribute to church people – martyrs in which 29 were already killed since 2001 up to the present.” (CBCPNews)