Filipinos nailed to cross in Good Friday ritual frowned on by Roman Catholic Church

 News
Apr 182014
 

Pampanga penitent nailed on cross on Good Friday

Pampanga penitent nailed on cross on Good Friday. An unidentified penitent is nailed to a cross during Good Friday crucifixion rites in front of the San Gabriel Church in Bacolor, Pampanga on April 18. The re-enaction of the crucifixion of Christ on Good Friday is still practiced despite opposition from the Roman Catholic Church. Ruston Banal Jr.

CUTUD – Nearly 20 Filipinos and a Danish filmmaker were nailed to crosses to re-enact the crucifixion of Christ on Good Friday, a practice the Roman Catholic Church frowns upon as a distortion of the Easter message.

The annual Philippine ritual draws thousands of spectators to San Fernando, 80 km (50 miles) north of Manila, to see penitents flagellate themselves and a series of crucifixions in a recreation of Christ’s death on the cross.

“It was a great experience between me and God,” 48-year-old Danish film director and stunt coordinator Lasse Spang Olsen, who stayed on the cross for more than 10 minutes, told Reuters before being treated for his wounds. “It was great. It was fun.”

But for some in the Philippines, where about 80 percent of the population are Catholics, the re-enactments of the crucifixion are an extreme display of devotion.

Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ died on the cross on Good Friday and rose from the dead two days later, on Easter Sunday.

“I will do it as long as my body will allow me,” said Danilo Ramos, 43, who has been crucified 23 times. “I hope God will see my sacrifice and take good care of my family.”

The Roman Catholic Church denounces the ritual, which took hold in northern Pampanga province about 60 years ago, as self-serving and a corruption of the message of Christ’s suffering for others.

“Penance does not mean you hurt yourself, because your body is a temple that houses the spirit,” said Archbishop Aniceto Paciano of San Fernando.

The carnival-like atmosphere in Cutud village draws thousands of foreign and local tourists each year. British casino worker Emily Ebswoth, 24, said she had never seen anything like it.

“I don’t like it,” she told Reuters. “It’s bloody and gory.” — Reuters

Century Properties jumpstarts reg’l expansion with Pampanga proj

 Economy
Aug 072013
 
Century Properties jumpstarts reg’l expansion with Pampanga proj

MANILA, Philippines – High-end developer Century Properties Group Inc. has jumpstarted its bid to gain a foothold in key regions outside Metro Manila. In a disclosure to the stock exchange, Century Properties said it acquired close to eight hectares of property in the city of San Fernando in Pampanga. The strategic location of the property, which was acquired from the House of David Realty and Development Corp., makes it ideal for a mixed-use development with residential, commercial and institutional components, Century Properties said. “This will form part of a city or town center that the company envisions for the area, to position it as a future central business district in the north,” Century Properties said. “We are confident that, similar to how it has masterplanned its projects in Metro Manila, Century Properties will also build a world-class urban center in San Fernando, Pampanga,” said Ladislao David, chairman emeritus of the House of David Group. Century Properties said the Pampanga project will allow the real firm to book P6 billion in sales from the residential portfolio targeting end-users from the middle-income market segment. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The acquisition was backed by a portion of an equity placement offering, the company said. In March, Century Properties, controlled by the Antonio family, raised P1.64 billion by selling shares to foreign investors to support its landbank expansion in Metro Manila and secondary cities. Century Properties said its strategic expansion to the north is guided by the rapid progress Read More …

DOJ urged to upgrade raps vs suspects in Dutch NGO leader's slay

 News
Feb 262013
 
DOJ urged to upgrade raps vs suspects in Dutch NGO leader's slay

The fiancée of slain Dutch development worker Wilhelm Geertman on Tuesday urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to upgrade the criminal charges filed against the suspects in the killing from the current robbery with homicide to murder and robbery.  In a petition for review filed with the DOJ, Maria Aurora Agustin Santiago contested the prosecutor’s recommendation that the lesser complex crime of robbery with homicide should be slapped against the suspects in the July 2012 killing. The suspects in the case are Harold Dela Cruz, Marvin Marsan and several Jane and John Does.  “This is not merely about an investigating prosecutor’s error in the appreciation of the facts and the pieces of evidence before him,” said Santiago’s legal counsel, Edre Olalia. “The bigger picture is, as in this case, the propensity to ignore and cover-up state responsibility in extrajudicial killings contributes to the impunity and obscures the political nature of the attack.” The camp of Geertman insisted that his death was a case of extra-judicial killing because the suspects “went into the trouble of making him ignominiously kneel down thereby costing them several minutes before they were able to carry out their alleged plan.” Geertman was shot at close range at the Alay Bayan-Luson Inc. (ABI) headquarters in San Fernando, Pampanga, by two unidentified gunmen who fled in a motorcycle. He was the executive director of ABI, a non-government organization (NGO) that is active in land issues and disaster response. “Geertman, who is known for his commitment to work for Read More …