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NOT
contented with his plan to file before the Vatican a
formal complaint against Archbishop Oscar Cruz of
Lingayen-Dagupan for conduct unbecoming, a legislator
wants the bishop criminally prosecuted and asked the
people he “demonized” to seek redress before the courts.
“Archbishop Cruz has a penchant for demonizing people.
He should be told that what he is doing is the worst
form of libel for which he can also be charged in
court,” said Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino Rep. Danilo
Suarez of Quezon.
At the
same time, Suarez affirmed the intention of the Southern
Luzon congressional alliance composed of 28 legislators
to file a formal complaint against Cruz at the Vatican
for conduct unbecoming a bishop.
Cruz
drew the ire of the legislators after he allegedly
announced during a news conference that he would deny
communion to President Arroyo and members of her family.
Cruz later denied issuing such statement, saying he was
misquoted by the media.
But
Suarez said the news conference where Cruz appeared as
guest was videotaped, thus he cannot “respin what he
really said.”
“When
you say you will deny someone communion, you are, in
effect, demonizing him or her. The offense becomes
doubly serious when you make public that intention by
saying it during a news conference,” Suarez said.
He said
the denial made by Cruz entailed lying in public,
“something which a Church official should not allow
himself to be caught doing lest his claim of moral
ascendancy crumbles.”
Suarez
said Cruz can be held accountable not only by the Church
but also by the courts as a Filipino citizen who should
not make a mockery of the laws of the land just because
he is a man of the cloth.
On
Cruz’s liability under civil and criminal laws, Suarez
said it would be up to the personalities whom he had
wronged to seek redress before the courts.
“He
projects himself as a judge, jury and prosecutor in
condemning people, as if we are still living in the
age of the Inquisition. It’s sad because Archbishop Cruz
is alienating more people from the Church, instead of
inviting them to its fold,” Suarez said. |
