KAPATID Press Release | December 26, 2024 Cardinal Ambo visits political prisoners, celebrates Mass at Bicutan jail

Newly installed Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David visited political prisoners at the Metro Manila District Jail Annex 4 (MMDJ-4) at 9:20 a.m. today in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City and concelebrated a special Mass for them and other inmates at the facility, formerly called the “Special Intensive Care Area 1 for “high risk and high profile” detainees who include peace consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

“We in Kapatid are overjoyed and feel blessed and humbled that Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David – Apung Ambo to us – accepted our invitation to again visit the political prisoners and other persons deprived of liberty at the MMDJ-4 in Bicutan today, December 26, 2024,” said Fides Lim, convenor and spokesperson. 

“This is a special occasion for us as Cardinal David’s special pastoral visit coincides with the scheduled visit of Pope Francis to Rebbibia prison on the outskirts of Rome this afternoon to mark the opening of the fifth holy door of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year of Hope,” noted Lim.

This is the second visit of the Cardinal to the facility this year. The first was on January 16, when he was invited by Kapatid to visit the political prisoners to know about their plight. 

“You are very fortunate because then Bishop Ambo opened the year with a Mass in this jail. He was still wearing a purple skullcap, and he returns today to close the year with another Mass but he is now wearing a red skullcap because he is now a Cardinal,” said Gerry Bernabe, national coordinator of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care, to the gathering.

In his homily, the tenth cardinal of the Philippines told stories about the true meaning of hospitality (magpatuloy) and the need to remove walls of division and discord that are also erected in the human consciousness.

In the short program that followed, detained NDFP peace consultant Vicente Ladlad warmly welcomed the new Cardinal. “I was gladly mistaken in thinking you would decline Kapatid’s invitation because of your increased responsibilities. But you accepted the invitation of Kapatid swiftly and without hesitation.”

“Cardinal David, you have clearly demonstrated your care for the welfare of persons deprived of liberty, including those illegally deprived of liberty, the political prisoners. With your visit, you help strengthen our own outlook for the future with hope and renewed commitment. Indeed, Cardinal David, you are truly a Pilgrim of Hope and Peace,” Ladlad said.

“We hope that with your help and the people’s support, all political prisoners in the country will be set free,” he added.

In his statement, NDFP peace consultant Adelberto Silva, reported the subhuman conditions of Filipino prisoners, making the Philippines the third to fourth-most congested prison system in the world with a high suicide rate.

“We hope that, in various ways, with your help, Cardinal David, awareness can be spread about the many serious issues facing Filipino prisoners, so that we may gather strength to push for reforms in the prison and justice systems, as well as in our continuing pursuit of a just peace in our country,” appealed Silva.

Cardinal David said he found it “anachronistic” that the Communist Party is still illegalized whereas democratic countries have recognized its formations. He called for the release of political prisoners as a first significant step to prepare for the Jubilee Year’s Pilgrimage of Hope. 

He also reiterated his desire for a peaceful solution to the “longest running insurgency in the world” and for peace talks to resume to address the roots of the armed conflict.

Political prisoners’ families gifted Cardinal David with a painting by an NBP political prisoner of Jesus Christ comforting a prisoner.