83 Manila Correspondant

Alan Atkins

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Preaching to prisoners including those on “Death Row”, New Bilibid Prison, and Philippines. By Alan Atkins.

(Correspondent from Manila)

When first learning of the intended visit by self-styled evangelists and former Lecturer, David Clarke, from Fareham, Hampshire, and Gordon Smith from Merley, Nr. Bournemouth, England, to the Philippines, a number of resident foreigners were angry and dismayed. This was not for the fact that the pair wanted to share their experiences of conversion to Christianity that was their business. Rather, it was the deeper motive of purportedly attempting to assist in the early release of David Clark’s brother, Michael Clark, from the hell-hole that is called New Bilibid Prison, where he had been sentenced to serve 14 years. The angry resident foreigners, all of whom are involved in fighting to obtain justice for many foreigners falsely convicted in a country where the justice system is decidedly faulty to say the least, believed the visit would be detrimental to their own efforts.

Initially, the pair was to be accompanied by Albert Wilson, the Dover resident who had obtained acquittal and release from a death sentence just eighteen months previously. It was believed that certain local vigilante organizations, which had been screaming after his acquittal, would have drawn adverse publicity, which would have hampered the efforts of the locals.

German, Harry Joost, and Britain, Alan Atkins, had dispatched angry missives to David Clark stating that they both could not see just what good the mission would achieve. Both believed that it would set the cases of incarcerated foreigner’s back, as living here for many years, they fully understood the Philippine psyche. Vocal criticism by foreigners would lead to the Filipino authorities digging in their heels, just to show whose country it really was.

David Clarke, in particular, had a genuine reason to visit. There is little doubt that his brother, Michael Clark, convicted of running tours for paedophiles, was cleverly encouraged to make a silly, facetious remark while being secretly filmed by a British television company needing sensationalism. The case was gleefully seized upon by the self-styled “peodophile-busting priest”, Father Shay Cullen. Cullen, who has a huge property overlooking Subic Bay, obtains millions from donations to support his children’s home, which, incidentally, only contains between 26 and 36 children at any one time. Michael Clarke is only one of the high profile convictions he has obtained against alleged foreign paedophiles. Each conviction is accompanied by fan-fare overseas, mainly in Germany and Italy, and results in a massive inflow of cash.

Many of these convictions are being questioned. The nemesis of Cullen is German national, Harry Joost, whose Filipino wife owns a small restaurant on a local beach. Joost initially battled Cullen over the conviction of what Cullen claimed to be the first foreign paedophile to be jailed, Australian Victor Fitzgerald. Over the years, Joost has worked to get the appeal granted. Just last week, Fitzgerald, after eight long years, was released on bail with a re-trial ordered. Fitzgerald’s accuser, who was then only 13 years old, but is now 21, issued an affidavit three years ago. It is a horror story. She tells how she, and two other girls whose cases against Fitzgerald were dismissed for lack of merit, were kept prisoner in Cullen’s children’s home and continually coached in the evidence they would present and how to act hysterical while in front of the judge, etc. How she and one of the other girls escaped and went to the Olongapo mayor’s office, but Cullen had warrants of arrest issued and they were forced back to the home. She gave many more detailed events of coercion and admitted that her evidence was all lies, given under the threat of never being released from the home.

In an unusual move, the local bishop and twenty-one priests appealed to the Court of Appeals stating that they believed that Father Cullen’s methods were “questionable.” For his troubles, Harry Joost has been the victim of vicious attacks both in the press and on Internet from Cullen, who has labelled him the leader of a “paedophile protection ring.” Other cases have emerged, and local observers are now saying, “When is a paedophile not a paedophile? When he is convicted by Shay Cullen.” It is interesting to note that Father Shay Cullen has been nominated by a Scottish M. P. for the Nobel Prize. The Fitzgerald re-trial may well decide him to withdraw this nomination, quickly. (See NBI Report 1996) APPENDIX 01

David Clark, learning some of this, had every right to visit the Philippines and assist his brother. Michael Clark now claimed to have also been “re-born” being baptized in an oil drum in the prison yard. David Clark, before arriving, did make one concession to local fears.

Discussions dissuaded Albert Wilson from visiting with him, so one problem was out of the way. David Clark and Gordon Smith duly arrived and met with their Philippine hosts and coordinators, to begin a massive program of preaching not just in Bilibid prison, including to prisoners on Death Row, but also in various areas within reach of Manila, including the cities that used to host the huge U.S. bases, Angeles City and Olongapo City.

In these places, they not only preached in various non-conformist churches, but inside the jails. To the amazement of their local critics, they achieved an amazing success, especially in the prisons. Literally hundred of prisoners expressed that they wanted to learn more about the Gospel and themselves “be saved”. The religious will say this is a miracle. To the cynical, analysis tends to indicate just how big a failure the Catholic Church has been in the Philippines. In the Philippines, well over 80 percent claim to be Catholic.

See article “An Honour and a Privilege” 29th April 2002.

Indeed, most will have been baptized in a Catholic Church. Yet as over 54 percent drop out of school in primary, and even those who go to Mass will only listen to the homily, most of them know very little about Christianity. The fact that two very ordinary men, not wearing the “magic” vestments of priesthood, relate in simple terms, stories and the meaning of what is in the Bible, must have a huge impact. For the first time in their lives, they understand what being a Christian really means.

What makes it even better is that David Clark readily confesses to them that 30 years previous, he was an incarcerated criminal, and that he discovered Jesus on an LSD trip. These men could, and did, relate to him. He was one of them, once. David’s book “Converted on LSD ” has just been published, which tells the whole story.

One of the saddest parts of their trip was that while in Olongapo City, they met with a very genuine couple with five children, Pastor Rev. Samuel C Vercina and his wife Jocelyn. The couple took them to a hill in nearby Bataan, the area forever recorded in history for the notorious “death march” during Japanese occupation. Here, David filmed the couple talking about their vision for the hill they had named, Prayer Mountain. Two days later, the couples were killed in a dreadful tragedy, one cause by the corruption in the Philippines. They had been, with scores of other Christians, staying the night in a small hotel in Quezon City, just north of Manila. Fire hit the hotel, which, against regulations had no fire alarms, fire-escape egress blocked with rubbish, etc. and they, together with nearly 80 others, suffocated in their sleep. This hit the British news on 12th August.

To their admitted surprise, the mission has had a two-way effect on both Clarke and Smith. Their mission was an attempt to inspire others into Christian living, yet a visit to Shalom Bata Rescue Centre in Merville Park reversed this and instead inspired them. Established by British born-again Christians, Ernie and Shirley Fable and supported solely on donations raised by the couple in annual extensive tours of the U.K., The centre receives abandoned babies, cares for them and arranges for their adoption to families all over the world.

83 Shalom Bata Childrens Home

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Ernie and Shirley Fable “Shalom “Bata” (Click here to view) Shalom Bata Rescue Centre

Currently there are 36 children, all below the age of 2-years in residence. Both Clark and Smith admit to admiration and inspiration from this Christian couple who live Christianity rather than talk about it. They were saddened to learn that Ernie is himself now suffering from a sever illness, yet the couple still carry on, caring for the unfortunate and abandoned.

The critics have been silenced and instead applaud. Both David Clarke and Gordon Smith carried out their mission with dignity and respect for the Philippine people, and in fact, had proved to be a credit to the British people. Positive results have been achieved. They have suggested a scheme where prisoners can enter the ministry and preach in other prisons. This is under consideration. If their scheme is adopted and prevents recidivism, then their mission will indeed have been worthwhile.

Alan Atkins

11th September 2001