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By Rene Q. Bas, Editor In
Chief
Among national leaders who agree
with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in
condemning the administration’s corruption record and in refusing
to call for the President’s resignation, are those who criticized
the “bishops who, as individuals, have helped make the culture of
corruption acceptable.”
About a dozen intellectuals,
bankers and businessmen gave The Manila Times their views,
crystallized in the words below of National Artist for Literature
Frankie Sionil Jose.
Jose, a world-renowned novelist,
is a perennial critic of presidents and government officials whom he
describes as the people who have perpetuated the country’s system
of feudal rich-landlord control of politics and the economy.
“Yes, the CBCP correctly
condemns the culture of corruption that has become worse through the
decades,” he said. “The Episcopal Conference and the Former
Senior Government Officials’ group are right to criticize the
Arroyo administration for its lack of zeal in stamping out
corruption. The CBCP is also right in not joining the movement for
President [Gloria] Arroyo’s ouster.”
“In the first place, we know
very well the bishops don’t have a common stand,” added Jose,
the founder of the association of Filipino poets, playwrights,
essayists and novelists (Philippine PEN). “Some bishops are not
sure if [President] Arroyo and her people alone are to blame for the
theft of billions from the government treasury. Some think the top
local officials—the governors and congressmen—of their provinces
and regions are just as culpable as the Palace.”
“But many prelates and
churchmen, even those who condemn corruption, have helped make the
most corrupt and rapacious leaders acceptable to the people.
Together with community leaders, these bishops and archbishops allow
these corrupt godfathers and lords of power and politics to serve as
guests of honor in town fiestas, Catholic-school convocations and
other religious observances, and in national civic activities. Why?
Because these lords of corruption are big donors in fund-raising
drives,” Jose said.
“The media dutifully report on
corruption charges and investigations of these corrupt men. But at
the same time they give these lords of Philippine politics and
economic life front-page coverage and primetime TV exposure.
Witnesses against them disappear or are paid to be silent, and law
enforcers and prosecutors are their friends. We, the people,
including media practitioners and Church officials, should ostracize
them but we don’t,” Jose said.
Social conscience
The president of the investment
arm of one of the country’s top five banks told The Times that he
appreciated both the CBCP’s assessment of government corruption
and the Filipino people’s failure to form a correct and Christian
social conscience. He asked The Times not to reveal his name, so as
not to be accused of taking sides politically.
“That s why the people are not
as outraged as they should be by the massive misuse of public funds
and the administration’s failure to solve the poverty problem,”
the banker said.
“As a Catholic, I must respect
the bishops for not violating the Canon Law and the doctrine of the
Church that forbid them from being engaged in active political
action,” he added.
“That is really what most
businessmen and bankers also want,” the banker said. “They are
wary of protests and marches. What we want is good governance,
accountability and serious government effort against corruption.
Like the bishops, we want her [Mrs. Arroyo] to reform and do the
work that she is not doing. If there is people power it must be
backed by the great majority of Catholics in every parish.”
A Filipino analyst for a foreign
investment institution, who also asked not to be identified, said,
“I really do not agree 100 percent with what the CBCP is saying,
but I believe along the same lines.
“What I find wearisome is why
do we have to go to the streets again to oust somebody?” the
analyst asked. “Does it mean every time we do not find something
good in the government we must always have to go to the streets? We
have to have due process, follow the laws, the Constitution. I think
that is also what the CBCP wants. I welcome the Senate inquiries.
But we should not act like children and have another EDSA 3.”
United Opposition President and
Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay said he is “comfortable” with
the CBCP’s position of not advising people for or against the move
to pressure President Arroyo to resign.
“The CBCP’s pastoral
statement in fact condemned the ‘continuing culture of corruption
from top to bottom,’” Binay said. This coincides with the
people’s desire to find out the truth, “especially if one knows
how to read between the lines.”
Binay said the bishops correctly
stopped short of asking the President to resign because it was a
political exercise they would rather avoid. He added that though the
bishops did not prescribe it, they also did not advice the laity not
to do a people power uprising as long as they arrived at their
decision after deep prayer, meditation and discussion in the
communal setting of their basic ecclesial communities, prayer groups
and parishes.
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