RUNNING PRIEST CHARGED WITH LIBEL

KASAMA Vol. 16 No. 2 / April-May-June 2002 / Solidarity Philippines Australia Network

After waiting ten days for the police to arrest him, Fr. Robert Reyes decided to turn himself in to the authorities. The Quezon City Regional Court had issued a warrant for his arrest on libel charges filed by Cagayan Rep. Jackie Ponce Enrile. Last year during a TV interview, Fr. Robert linked the congressman and his father, former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, to the murder of the priest's nephew, Ernest Robert Lucas, during the martial law years in 1975. Fr. Robert was released on May 29 after spending two days in jail. He posted a 10,000-peso bail which was donated by his parishioners on the University of the Philippine campus where he is parish priest. As we go to press, Australian priest Fr. Brian Gore is on his way to meet with Reyes in Manila. We await his report.

A long distance runner, Fr. Robert is a well-known personality as he uses his running events to bring public attention to important issues such as protecting the environment, corruption, the death penalty and third world debt. During August and September 2001 Fr. Robert ran in ten Australian cities for the Drop The Debt Campaign.