Bring your Christian faith when you vote, Bishop tells faithful

‘Don’t vote for candidates who contribute to continued killings, corruption’  – Archbishop Socrates Villegas

CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP Socrates Villegas has warned the faithful against voting for politicians or candidates running in elections who may have contributed to the unabated killings and corruption in the country, according to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines or CBCP.

CBCP said Villegas made the warning during a mass and called on voters to be more discerning in the May 13 polls. In a pastoral message, he cited the “6Ks” or kamatayan, kabastusan, korapsyon, kahirapan, kasarinlan and kasinungalingan (lies) as among the problems the country is facing today.

“Have they given the orders to kill? Have they protected liars? Truth is not a political issue; it is a moral issue. Human dignity goes beyond political coalitions. It is a godly concern. Have they contributed to the current problem of 6Ks? Have they actively cheered and encouraged, enabled and supported the purveyors of the 6Ks?” he asked.

“Have they been quiet fence sitters who just allowed the 6Ks to turn from bad to worse? Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Have they chosen to stay safe rather than stand up for truth, sovereignty, and human dignity?” Villegas added.

The outspoken archbishop said he once again noted how the continued killings does not solve problems on drugs and criminality, and added that vulgarity “is not Filipino” who loves God, and that “there’s no place in heaven for liars”. Villegas stressed that liar candidates should not be voted as they “will be the future corrupt officials”.

He said voters should instead look for candidates who have clear and realistic program for the poor, the sick and those with disabilities, and for the jobless. “The kind of leaders we elect reveals the kind of people we are. The winners in elections are mirrors of the values and aspirations, dreams and hopes of the people who voted for them.

It can also show our backward moving society. Be careful. Be critical. Be courageous. How would Christ vote? Vote like Christ. Do not leave God at the altar. Bring your Christian faith when you vote,” he said.

Villegas did not identify who Catholics should not vote, but the Church has been vocal in criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte, who cursed priests and the Pope publicly and at one time said “they are better off dead.”

Duterte has repeatedly accused priests and bishops of meddling in the affairs of the government, especially when the Church strongly criticized his war on drugs that led to killings of hundreds of suspected users and pushers since he became president.

In September last year, Duterte strongly criticized Father Noel Gatchalian who, during a mass, said that he had prayed for the President to get sick. “Noon pong marami nang kaguluhan ang nangyayari, na wina-walanghiya pati ang ating relihiyon, binabastos pati ang ating Diyos, sinasabi ng ating Simbahan na magdasal, sabi ko, o sige, magdasal. Kaya pinagdasal ko na magkasakit si Digong. Hindi ba sabi niya pagod na siya? E di magpahinga muna siya,” the priest said.

Duterte said he also wished that priests contract, and die from venereal diseases. And in his reply to Gatchalian’s prayer, he said: “Don’t worry, Father. Whether I die today, I die tomorrow, it does not matter to me anymore. I am done. You, you don’t have enough happy-happy. Get more girlfriends. Son of a bitch. You think we don’t know.”

And in December, Duterte said bishops were better off dead because of constant criticisms he get from the Church. “Itong mga obispo ninyo, patayin ninyo. Walang silbi iyang mga gagong iyan. All they do is criticize,” Duterte said in a speech in December at Malacañang after Bishop Pablo David was quoted as saying that “the public should just bear with the President because he is a very sick man.”

And by January, Duterte again verbally attacked bishops and told a huge crowd during the birthday celebration of Masbate Governor Antonio Kho that vagabonds should just kill and steal from rich bishops. “Hoy, kayong mga tambay diyan, kapag dumaan ‘yang obispo ninyo holdapa ‘yan maraming pera ‘yan putang ina niya. Patayin mo. Galit sa akin ‘yung sigeng yawyaw.”

Duterte also made the same statement during the February proclamation rally of ruling party PDP-Laban in Bulacan province. “Holdapin ninyo ‘yung obispo ninyo, maraming pera ‘yan. Pagka lumaban, patayin mo. Maglibing tayo ng obispo. Maniwala ka diyan mga ‘yan. Puro may asawa,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)