"We, the PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) Missionaries in the Philippines, are asking now 'Where is our brother Giancarlo Bossi?'" reads the new appeal made today by the confreres of Father Giancarlo Bossi, the Italian PIME missionary who was abducted on June 10 in the Payao area, on the southern Philippine Island of Mindanao.

Since the day of his abduction, continue the confreres, “we were told that he would be released within few hours, within few days ... We were told that both the government forces and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) contacts have been monitoring all possible areas, all possible armed groups, and all possible witnesses, even the most secret hide outs, using the latest high-tech devices."

The statement continues: "We were told that emissaries were sent with cell phones to verify if he is alive, we were told that medicines had been provided for his hypertension, we were told he is well alive riding a horse. We were told that the kidnappers are asking for 15 million pesos ... But when we tried to verify all these reports we have come to the conclusion that they are all false reports. Military, civilian and religious authorities asked for a “proof of life”, but so far there is no proof of life, no clear identification of the kidnappers, no confirmed sighting, no demand for ransom, no declaration of purpose for this sudden abduction."

The missionaries say that "We know that Giancarlo cannot disappear like a ghost. He is too big and must be difficult to hide him”, write Fr. Bossi’s confreres in their second appeal, referring to the myriad of information circulating in these days in the local press, none of which with any type of confirmation."

“We are very worried about him," continues the appeal, "We know for a fact that his captors are a large armed group who certainly have cell phones and connections with various influential personalities and organisations. Why can’t they be identified? Why can’t they declare their purpose? By now, we feel this is a vicious drama, the false reports are part of the drama, and those who make these stories know that they are only deceiving the public. Why????? Is this an attempt to cover up for some other purpose? We have received many statements of concern and many sincere people of all faiths are joining in prayer. We are very grateful to everyone of them. We were touched by the statement of the Consortium of the Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) who asked a question “Who gains from the kidnapping of a priest?”

“Their question certainly deserves an answer," write the PIME missionaries, "the common people can already see through so many lies. We are convinced that several people and organizations know the truth. Why do they reply like Cain, “I DON’T KNOW! AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?” Or are they the ones who are responsible for what happened to Giancarlo, as Cain was responsible to what happened to Abel?????"

"We still believe, hope and pray that Giancarlo is alive. We pray also that among those who know what really happened, someone can tell the truth. As Jesus said “the truth will make you free”. Likewise Allah, the Merciful and the Beneficent, cannot stand deceivers, he is a lover of truth," conclude the PIME missionaries.

Source: MISNA

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(ENI). The Philippines' homegrown Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), whose adherents are said to vote as a bloc during elections, is now competing with Evangelicals and charismatic groups in putting forward candidates for elected positions.

The Iglesia's bloc vote was said to be evident in this northern Philippine city of 350 000 when all but three of its endorsed candidates, including a congressperson, a mayor, vice-mayor, and 12 councillors, won in elections held on 14 May.

Lawyer and incumbent city councillor Faustino Olowan, who ran as vice-mayor, believed he would win handsomely against five other candidates because he banked on what was acknowledged as the ethnic "Igorot vote" in this city. Olowan belongs to the Igorot indigenous group who comprise a third of the city's electorate. He was the only Igorot vice-mayoral candidate.

"There's no doubt I got most of the ethnic Igorot votes, but the Iglesia ni Cristo factor did me in," said Olowan, who lost by a slim margin of 1283 votes to lawyer Daniel Fariñas, who was endorsed by the Iglesia.

The same happened in the contest for congressional and mayoral seats.

Iglesia ni Cristo leaders say their church's bloc voting in national and local elections is based on its "one-body-of-Christ-one-will" doctrine, which the church has promoted since Felix Manalo, a former Presbyterian and Adventist pastor, founded the Iglesia in 1914.

Evangelical and renewal groups, which the Iglesia ni Cristo acknowledged as its competitors in proselytising, also endorsed certain candidates such as Cosalan, but their members were not obliged to vote as a bloc, say Evangelical and charismatic group leaders.

The Roman Catholic and traditional Protestant churches, however urged their members to vote according to their conscience, without naming candidates.

City council candidate Isabelo Cosalan Jr, told Ecumenical News International: "I was not endorsed by the Iglesia ni Cristo, but [I won] thanks to the other churches." He added: "Without the other churches' support, I wouldn't have made it to the council."

A geodetic engineer and associate pastor of the Good News Community Fellowship, an Evangelical group, Cosalan was not only endorsed by his church but also by others and by renewal groups within both Protestant and Roman Catholic circles.