More than 50 priests under the Diocese of Bacolod attended the Presbyteral Assembly on Church and Politics and National Situation Jan. 25, and discussed the possible collective endorsement of the Diocese of a certain candidate for a national position.
Fr. Armand Onion, one of the facilitators in the gathering of priests, said the event was initiated after their Jan. 11 Recollection when a group of priests claimed that their parishioners are asking for guidance from the church on what to do in the May 9 elections.
Onion said they cannot make a real position without determining first the factual economic and political situations.
The purpose of the assembly was to discuss whether an individual priest can endorse a candidate for national position, or if the Diocese, as a whole, can have a common choice of a presidential candidate to support in the May 9 polls.
Onion claimed that the common sentiments of the participants leaned toward Vice President Leni Robredo. But the possible stance of the Diocese would depend on Bishop Patricio Buzon, and his decision might be relayed next month in another gathering of priests.
A day before the assembly, 273 lay leaders from the different parishes, signed a manifesto endorsing Robredo for president.
Fr. Greg Patino, who facilitated the lay leaders’ gathering, said the church leaders were given time to listen to the programs and values of a candidate. This is one way of giving the right information and education on who would be fitting as the new leader of the Philippines, based on the values pushed by the Catholic Church, he added.
Patino said that, canonically they are not allowed to endorse any candidate but, he claimed that, in a rare situation when morality and Gospel values are at stake, the priests can make their own decision.
He cited the case of the RH Law in the previous elections, when the Bacolod Diocese made a separate stand and come up with a list of candidates under the Team Patay, Team Buhay during the national campaign period.| MML
Caption
The manifesto signed by 273 lay leaders supporting the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo, and announced by Fr. Greg Patino in a press conference Jan. 25.
