What our moral leaders must see

The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has issued a statement mildly critical of the ongoing Congress inquiry into the massacre of 44 Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bansamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Mamasapano, Maguindanaoon Jan. 25. The statement tries to be even-handed, but it could yet provoke a minor storm if Malacanang uses it to deflect the call on President B. S. Aquino 3rd to step down and cast in a negative lightsome bishops who support such call.

To prevent such a storm, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop and CBCP President Socrates Villegas may have to reassure his brother bishops that such is not the intention nor meaning of some of the words he uses in his statement. Will he do it? The CBCP cannot afford to be divided over Aquino, who has already divided the nation on moral and constitutional issues.