5 bishops: ‘Time to prepare a new government is now’

27 ng Oktubre 2008
Umaatikabong “COMMUNAL ACTION” na ba at humihingi na ng suporta sa mga "liberators" o sa maraming sektor ang SIMBAHAN? Ang sigurado, pawang may katotohanan ang mga pahayag ng 5 aktibistang Bishops, kaya lang, ayon sa marami, bagamat matapang-tapang ang political statement, "dapat (long overdue) noon pa ito isinagawa."

Sa kanilang panawagan, sa gitna ng political uncertainty, ang krisis sa pananalapi't pangungurakot, sa isinampang IMPEACHMENT kay GMA sa Kongreso, katapat sa pinaplanong Cha Cha ng Malakanyang at ang lumalalang gera sa Mindanao, mukhang wala ng nakikitang puwang sa pagbabago't reporma (radical reform) ang Simbahan at hindi na makakayanan hintayin pa ang 2010. Sa "panwagang oust GMA," maaring sabihing wala na itong tiwala sa electoral process at inaantisipang baka hindi na matuloy o magkaroon ng clean, credible, honest at peaceful election sa 2010 presidential election." - Doy


5 bishops: ‘Time to prepare a new government is now’
http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/5484

MANILA, Oct. 28, 2008—The current government requires a drastic change—and the time is now, ranking Catholic Church leaders said Tuesday. In a strong statement, five bishops, led by Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo denounced the “worsening” corruption in the government and stressed to need for change. Lagdameo called on Filipinos to start preparing for a new government. (Photo: http://www.cbcpnews.com/)

He said the need for a new kind of government is necessary to end an administration marred by a “social and moral cancer”—that is corruption. Lagdameo said hopelessness is pervasive the public but assured them “liberators” may just be around the corner.

“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,” Lagdameo said in a forum organized by CBCPNews and Catholic Media Network.
Also present in the forum were Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas, Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon and Legazpi Bishop Emeritus Jose Sorra.

Fed up
The bishops said the Church did not fail in calling on government leaders to be real public servants but they admitted all those efforts were seemingly futile. They recalled that there have been, at least, three statements where the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) denounced corruption in the country.

Villegas said the public should not remain complacent with what is currently happening in the government. He also called on the people “not to be passive” but engage “in active involvement” in seeking a change in governance. “The problem is not population, the problem is rampant corruption,” Villegas said.

It’s up to the people
Asked whether his statement is tantamount to calling for a public uprising to oust President Gloria Arroyo, Lagdameo said it’s already up to the people to decide what course of action will be used as long as it will be Constitutional and non-violent. After all, he said, Arroyo has been futile in preparing for a new government that could make a transition away from a corrupt one.

Cruz seconded CBCP’s top official saying corruption under the Arroyo administration is something that cannot be dealt with by the human justice system alone. “Corruption in such an extensive degree in the Philippines is a crime that cries to heaven for vengeance. Corruption in this country has become endemic, systemic, from top to bottom in government. Perhaps they may be given the punishment they deserve by the human justice system, but that’s not enough. Someone else in the Higher Authority will punish them as they deserve,” said the former CBCP president.

‘We are here to disturb you’
Villegas said they are hoping that their statements will spur the public to move into action.
“We are not here to bring you peace. We are here to disturb you. I’m praying to God that after this meeting, may the Lord trouble you because the trouble that comes from the Lord is going to make you a better person and it’s going to make the country a better country,” he said.
The young prelate said that with the current state of the government, there must be very drastic and dramatic actions from each and every one. He added that had the country been less corrupt, even just half of what it is today, the country would have been in a much better position.

“If we have been only half less corrupt, we would have more money to feed our children, more money to put up schools, more money to bring medicines to hospitals. The problem is not population. The problem is corruption. Just cut the corruption in half and we would have enough money to take care of the poor,” Villegas said. (CBCPNews)

Related Story:
A call for regime change
http://www.malaya.com.ph/oct30/edit.htm
Editorial
Let there be no mistake. The call of Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo and four other bishops is for no less than a regime change. Gloria Arroyo must go now. How this is done they leave to the people to decide.

Sedisyon sa 5 obispo ipinorma
(Tina Mendoza, Rose Miranda, JB Salarzon, Boyet Jadulco, Eralyn Prado)
http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/oct3008/news03.htm