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THREE
Catholic bishops from
Northern Philippines
are calling for an “earnest” search for the truth, fair
media treatment of raging issues and the investigation
of controversies in legal venues.
The
appeal is contained in a statement sent by Bayombong
Bishop Ramon B. Villena, D.D.; Bontoc-Lagawe Apostolic
Vicar Rodolfo Beltran, D.D; and Tuguegarao Archbishop
Diosdado Talamayan, D.D. to Press Secretary Ignacio
Bunye, who furnished copies to the media.
Bunye
released the letter entitled, “To Guide Our Feet into
the Way of Peace,” to clarify that the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) call to “communal
action” is limited to prayers, circumspection and
renewal, and should not be misinterpreted as a call for
people power against the administration.
“I have
a letter from three bishops stating their interpretation
of communal action, which is communal prayer, communal
circumspection and communal renewal of our collective
and individual selves. It’s not the call through
physical action that some would interpret it to be,”
Bunye told reporters.
He said
the three bishops’ interpretation of the CBCP’s call to
communal action “validates” Malacañang’s own
interpretation.
The
bishops said communal action “must be on the way of
peace” and called on the people to do so through prayer,
self-examination and an “earnest” search of the truth.
“In
solidarity with His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, we
call on all to seek not confrontation, certainly not
revolution or violence, but a communal action for deep
reflection, discernment, sobriety and for the way of
peace!” they said.
In
calling for self-examination, the bishops noted: “We are
quick to condemn corruption when perpetrated by others.
It is more difficult to acknowledge that the seeds of
corruption lie in all our hearts.”
They
said there must be an earnest search of the truth, but
in doing so, there must be a distinction “between the
truth and insinuation and suspicion.”
“It is
important to remember that it is easy to accuse, but it
is competent proof that establishes truth. The truth
must be relentlessly sought, and no attempt should be
made to suppress it. One way the truth is suppressed is
when inquiries and investigations become instruments of
propagandizing and vendetta,” they said.
They
said that for investigations to be credible they “must
be conducted by persons who are honestly in search of
the truth, for the welfare of the nation and not in
furtherance of their own political ambitions.”
“We call
on politicians to serve in the likeness of Him who came
among us as one who serves, seeking neither
self-aggrandizement nor privilege, but the welfare of
those they swore to serve,” they said.
The
bishops said that for any investigation to be “credible
and fruitful,” they must be carried out before those
forums tasked by law to investigate and to prosecute
such as the Department of Justice and the Office of the
Ombudsman.
They
urged the media to be “fair,” noting that “in many
respects, media reportage only fuels the flames of
discontent, often by unwanted and unwarranted commentary
and innuendo.”
“We must
all be instruments of justice—its fundamental demand
being fairness!” they said. |
