Graft a sin, but spare Gloria from ouster says bishops

March 14, 2008

Metro Manila Catholic bishops yesterday denounced corruption in the Arroyo government but warned against removing President Arroyo from power.

The bishops, in a pastoral letter signed by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, along with other Metro Manila bishops, called on the people to reject violence in a statement issued ahead of a youth-led anti-Arroyo protest rally in Manila.

The group of bishops said irregularities in government contracts, among other things, violate God’s Seventh Commandment.

As repentance, the irregularities in the government contracts must be returned from the original owner and, if not found, for the money to be given to the poor.

The letter entitled “Toward a morally rebuilt nation” was issued as the country continues to face a flurry of social and political issues.

But even as the bishops denounced corruption, it also scored the “accuser and the accused,” with some even saying that whistleblowers should not be made into heroes.

“Today we are experiencing a social and political mess. This however goes beyond the question of truth to the search for probity. Probity is about the integrity of all, the accuser and the accused. We are unhappy and we feel betrayed,” the pastoral statement stated.

The letter is slated to be read in all of Metro Manila Catholic churches on Sunday.

The statement urged the

Filipino faithful to stay prudent and sober in seeking truth and accountability.

“Many are critical of the present governance particularly in the areas of truth and justice. But we can restore truth and justice without restoring to violence and hatred,” the statement read.

“A nation built on contempt is completely unimaginable,” it added.

“In whatever form it takes, the practice of corruption is both immoral and unjust,” the 16 senior Catholic leaders said in a pastoral letter.

“As pastors we cannot tell you less, even if some will resent the way we teach,” the bishops said.

The bishops have been criticized roundly by many of the Catholic faithful for what they believe to is a protective stand taken by the bishops in the case of the President, largely stemming from the belief that some conservative bishops have been receiving largess from Mrs. Arroyo and thus don’t want her out of Malacanang.

The bishops reiterated an earlier pastoral letter issued last month in which a larger grouping of the country’s 100-odd Catholic leaders refused to support street protests calling for Mrs. Arroyo’s ouster.

Ahead of a Feb. 29 Interfaith rally in Makati staged by anti-Arroyo protesters, which rally was expected to be massive, the bishops called for an special meet to issue yet another pastoral statement rejecting people power as a means to oust Mrs. Arroyo, even as they claimed that communal action that the bishops had earlier proposed did not mean people power as a way of removing Mrs, Arroyo.

Despite their pastoral call, several bishops attended the interfaith rally. The bishops again joined the youth-led rally in Manila yesterday, although it was evident that other bishops who had announced that they would be joining the rally suddenly provided excuses for their absence, among whom were Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Bishop Socrates Villegas, Caloocan bishop Deogracias Iniquez and Novaliches bishop Tobias.

The church leaders urged the return the stolen public funds to the government.

Other bishops have previously called for Mrs. Arroyo’s ouster and have supported efforts to force her from office.

The President has brushed off calls for her resignation amid a corruption scandal that has implicated her husband and a political ally.

The case involves a allegedly overpriced and kickback-laden $329million broadband contract won by a state-run Chinese firm, ZTE Corp.

In its pastoral letter, the bishops stated that fraud in business, overpricing, bribery in contracts, cheating in scales, cheating in legitimate taxes and the smuggling of taxable goods, including also the smuggling and trafficking of substances for abuse to damn the innocent and the weak members of society, and othersare among the many forms of violating the Seventh Commandment of God, which states that “Thou shalt not steal.”

The bishops alleged that shady government contracts in the past and even those currently under fire, including the Internet deal are not exempt from this particular commandment.

“The Seventh Commandment covers not only the present corruption deals that have been recently exposed, but also all deals, at all levels of government service, of all administrations and governance, no matter what came out of the past or will come out of the present or future inquiries,” the bishops said in their statement.

“We need the leaders from the highest to the lowest and their families not only to lead us, but also to give us examples of repentance and true humble conversion,” the bishops added.

Citing several verses from the Bible, the bishops likened the process of renewal to the journey of the Israelites who escaped from Egypt in ancient biblical times.

The CBCP said that after going from the wilderness and into the desert, the people of Israel were converted from greed, purified, and cleansed before they were allowed entry to the promise land.

Employing the analogy of the “desert experience,” the bishops said that people had in the past chosen the path toward the “convenient streets” as it was the “easier truth to an imagined freedom.”

With this, the group reiterated its stand on resorting to peaceful means in ferreting out the truth and justice, refraining from “violence and hatred.”

Meanwhile, with an anti Arroyo rally being mounted by the youth groups, composed mainly of students from various schools, joined in by nuns and priest and some bishops, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr., yesterday ordered the elite unit — Special Action Force on its full alert status to monitor the rally staged by several organizations at the Liwasang Bonifacio, in Manila yesterday.

Razon also placed the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame and PNP regional offices on heightened alert status.

National Capital Region Police office (NCRPO) chief Geary Barias meanwhile disclosed the deployment of policemen at the youth-led rally site, Liwasang Bonifacio early in the morning yesterday.

Barias also said policemen were deployed to Quiapo district and don Chino Roces Bridge.

Different youth groups met at 1 p.m., in several areas in the metropolis before they proceed to the Liwasang Bonifacio shrine at Lawton district for the 3 p.m., program get started by having an interfaith prayer.

Elementary and high school students joined the rally aiming to extend some strong message to Malacang before the Holy Week break.

Antonio Tinio, chairman of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, said the demonstration is meant to send a strong message to Malacañang before the Holy Week break.

“It’s a youth-led rally so what will be highlighted will be the role the youth plays in this campaign for truth and accountability with regards to corruption in government. It is meant to send a strong message that we are all committed to pushing for the search for truth, justice and change,” Tinio said.

Meanwhile, at least 70 members of pro-administration group Kongreso ng Mamamayan gathered early at Mabuhay Rotunda in Manila to show their support for President Arroyo.

The group spread banners around the rotunda, which shows pictures that depicted senators Ma. Consuelo Madrigal, Panfilo Lacson, Manny Villar and Alan Cayetano as clowns.

Policemen were also sent to the rotunda to protect the pro-Arroyo demonstrators.Gina Peralta-Elorde, Allan Bergonia and AFP

Source: http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20080315hed2.html

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