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By William B. Depasupil, Reporter
THE Church is also to blame for the alleged
culture of corruption in the country, according to a Catholic
bishop.
Boac Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista admitted that
the Church, in a way, may have fallen short of its task to inculcate
Christian values, like “honesty,” in effect, contributing to the
prevalence of graft and corruption.
“We have long been Christians, but it seems
too hard for almost all of us to put flesh into the term
‘honesty,’” Evangelista said in an interview over Church-run
Radyo Veritas over the weekend.
Similar observations were also raised by
Bishops Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao and Buenaventura Famadico of
Gumaca, Quezon, who both said corruption exists “from top to
bottom” of the social and political ladder.
The existence and prevalence of corruption
is the essence of the latest pastoral statement of the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urging the faithful
to help institute appropriate actions and enhance the formation of
social conscience in every Filipino.
Famadico, a member of the CBCP’s permanent
council representing southeastern Luzon, said that corruption has
encompassed everyone, from the President of the Republic to the
barangay level.
“There are vivid examples of government
officials who resort to graft and corrupt practices, say, the tong
collections levied on citizens who violate simple traffic rules and
regulations,” Famadico said.
Famadico explained that while those in the rural
areas were not so affected by the political turmoil in Metro Manila,
they are not spared by graft and corrupt practices that exist from
the highest levels down to the barangays.
Ongtioco, for his part, said everyone should be
aware that graft and corrupt practices affect everybody.
“It’s time for self-examination, self
assessment, and find out how we live as children of God,” the
prelate said.
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