BY GERARD NAVAL
NOVALICHES Bishop Antonio Tobias yesterday
said the Arroyo government’s continuing efforts to stay beyond
2010 could unite Catholic prelates against the administration.
"Masyado ng garapal kaya papunta na diyan na
magkakasama-sama kami," Tobias said in a TV interview.
He was asked if bishops are one with
Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines, and four other bishops who last
month called on the public to prepare for a new government.
Some bishops known to be "friendly" with
Malacañang have tried to downplay the statement, saying it did
not represent the sentiment of the CBCP as a body.
Lagdameo was joined in the call by
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a former CBCP president,
and Bishops Joel Baylon (Masbate), Socrates Villegas (Balanga)
and Legazpi Bishop emeritus Jose Sorra.
"Yun bang masyadong pagpapakita ng power over
the interest of the people, unti-unting nagkakaganoon na. There
are more bishops now. I’m very sure yung lima na nauna at kami
ay dumarami," Tobias said.
Tobias said it is similar to the martial law
years when religious leaders all expressed opposition to the
continued stay of President Ferdinand Marcos.
Lagdameo released another statement earlier
this week, in which he reiterated a CBCP pastoral statement
expressing opposition to the moves to amend the Constitution
under the Arroyo administration.
On Thursday, Tobias and Caloocan Bishop
Deogracias Iñiguez urged the public to join a rally on Sunday to
show their opposition to an extension of President Arroyo’s term
through Charter change.
They warned the administration over what they
said was a shutting down of the legal options to make President
Arroyo accountable for her management of the country.
Iñiguez said the junking of the impeachment
complaint Wednesday could force the public to resort to other
options, like "extra-constitutional, extra-legal means."
Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said Catholic
bishops "are not above the law and they should be more
circumspect in calling for mass action against the duly
constituted authorities."
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, an Arroyo
defender, belied reports he was considering filing charges of
inciting to sedition against the bishops.
Gabriel Claudio, presidential adviser on political affairs,
said it is Gonzalez’ duty to look into the legal implications of
the calls of two bishops. – With Wendell Vigilia and
Jocelyn Montemayor
