In their respective statements, the Council of Bishops of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines, led by its General Secretary Bishop Melzar Labuntog and composed of 27 bishops, and the Ecumenical Voice for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (Ecuvoice) led by Rt. Rev. Rex B. Reyes, Jr., D.D. expressed support for human rights defenders of Karapatan, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and Gabriela. The said organizations have filed petitions for the writs of amparo and habeas data to seek legal protection from killings, threats, harassment and other forms of intimidation.