"Post-Mamasapano Incident: Another Call for PNoy Resignation "
CEBU CITY -- Six officials from the
Catholic church and three members of religious groups joined Friday the
National Transformation Council’s (NTC) call for President Benigno Aquino III
to “step down.”
Retired Cebu Archbishop Ricardo
Cardinal Vidal also appealed to other bishops and religious leaders to join the
Catholic Church in praying for God’s guidance “for the renewal of the nation.”
The Archdiocese of Cebu, however,
clarified that while Archbishop Jose Palma was present when Cardinal Vidal read
his statement, this did not mean Palma was joining the call for Aquino to step
down, following the Mamasapano tragedy last January.
Former senator Francisco “Kit” Tatad
and former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, who support the NTC, joined the
Church officials in Vidal’s post-birthday party Friday at his home in Sto. Niño
Village in Banilad, Cebu City.
Cardinal Vidal’s statement began
this way: “The National Transformation Council has strongly articulated that
the President should step down. We, bishops of the Catholic and other Christian
Churches, have often been asked if there is moral basis to this growing demand.
Recent developments have made this call even more urgent and imperative.”
(Although the text uses
“articulated” in the first sentence, when Cardinal Vidal read the speech, he
used “advocated.”)
“We cannot be apathetic,” the
cardinal’s seven-paragraph statement also pointed out.
Appeal
It mentioned the resignation call
only in the first paragraph. It ended this way: “We appeal to our fellow bishops
and religious leaders of faith-based communities to join us in praying to God
for His guidance for the renewal of the nation that is deeply rooted in faith
values, love of country and respect for human life and environment.”
Hours after the event, the Archdiocese
of Cebu clarified that it is not supporting calls for President Aquino to
resign.
“The Archbishop of Cebu is in no
position to issue any political statement of whatever kind because such an act
would not be part of the competence of the ministry of the Church,” Tan added.
Tan clarified that Archbishop
Palma’s role during Friday's activity was only to participate in the
84-year-old prelate’s post-birthday party with some of his friends.
“We want to make it clear that no
one will hear from the Archbishop of Cebu issuing such a statement nor would we
be interested in making such a statement,” he added.
Courtesy of: youtube.com and sunstar.com.ph
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