Bishop’s Lighting Our Path

November 11, 2008

Dear Bishops Lagdameo, Cruz, Villegas, Sorra & Baylon,

Peace be with you!

I wish to thank you for making the statement on corruption being a social and moral cancer of the country. Allow me to take liberty to quote one paragraph of the said statement,

“In response to the global economic crisis and the pitiful state of our country, the time to rebuild our country economically, socially, politically is now. The time to start radical reforms is now. The time for moral regeneration is now. The time to conquer complacency, cynicism and apathy and to prove that we have matured from our political disappointments is now. The time to prepare a new government is now.”

I was hopeful that after so many exhortations and guidance from the CBCP as demonstrated by the following paragraphs, the primary purveyors of corruption in the country would have heeded you. Unfortunately, as attested by the turn of events, corruption escalated by leaps and bounds.

“In the strongest term we condemn graft and corruption as an offense against society and sin against God. God will certainly hold the perpetrators accountable. To combat this evil we also proposed the formation of citizens’ councils to promote public awareness, to monitor the use of public funds, and to initiate charges against guilty officials” (CBCP “Let Integrity Flow Like a Stream” July 7, 2003).

The Bishops again said “Moral accountability calls for radical reforms in various agencies of government to make them more responsive to the requirements of integrity as well as to the needs of the poor” (CBCP Restoring Trust.” July 10, 2005, no. 10). “We strongly condemn the continuing culture of corruption from the top to the bottom of our social and political order” (CBCP “Seeking the Truth, Restoring Integrity” Feb 26, 2008).”

It was truly heartening and a cause for hope that the bishops representing the moral authority of the people as the Church of Christ have now found their voice to call for a more vigorous action against this moral cancer that is destroying the very Body of the Church. It is a cancer that many consider as the greatest violence against those who are living and even to those who are yet to be born. Which makes me wonder - how come the CBCP can be so passionate about direct political involvement regarding the RH Bill yet so suddenly cautious when it comes to corruption issues that victimize both the living and the unborn? Many are convinced that it has something to do with PAGCOR & PCSO, but that is something I have no personal knowledge of.

But the hope is short lived as other bishops began distancing themselves from you and some even directly making statements contrary to the message you have delivered. The usual line is that your views do not represent the view of the CBCP. It makes me sad to see the very pastors of the Church of Christ behave like partisan politicians than pastors of the same Church. But, if some would insist to decide along partisan political lines, why don’t you play by the same rules that our politicians use, that is, using their superior numbers to impose their tyranny upon the people that make up the Church?

In Congress, the superior numbers game has been used to negate the legitimate election results of 2004; the numbers game was again employed to defeat the lawful recourse provided by the Constitution to impeach a wrong doer of the highest position of the land, not just once but three times already, and most probably a fourth time in the coming weeks.

In the Supreme Court, the superior numbers game has been used to deny the people the right to know the truth about the orders given by GMA to Neri, inspite of the fact that Neri already advised GMA of the P200 M bribe offered by Abalos. The numbers game has been repeatedly used to uphold the Executive Privilege to stop Neri from testifying.

If those who have been denying the people to know the truth and constantly thwarting the people’s desire for a legitimate leader by using the numbers game, why can’t the bishops use the same method in pushing for a cure for this moral cancer? Please pardon me for offering this unsolicited advice, but why don’t the bishops call for a straw vote among the CBCP so whatever decision wins can be presented as the CBCP stand on this issue of corruption that you, as individual bishops, have spoken very strongly about - a firm stand that as the AMRSP letter states may bring a Pentecostal event in our Church that is being devastated by this moral cancer.

The absence of such a statement from our bishops collectively as the CBCP, I believe, will obscure more than illuminate the already darkly clouded moral landscape of the Church to which we belong. We look upon you to bring about the light that will illuminate the path towards cure from this moral cancer that you have correctly identified for us.

I believe that the bishops are free from the most common obstacle that the secular members of the Church have to overcome, which would be, the opposition of the elders and the rich men who tremble at the thought of seeing their interests threatened by government reprisals. As our history has shown, the rich and their powerful friends in our country will always be the principal agents in sowing fear and distrust even in the most courageous heart. We believe in our hearts that the bishops are still the sons of Peter and not of Caiphas. That for many of them truth and lies are never the same.

May you light our path!

Sincerely yours,

Jun Lozada