Malacañang calls for ‘true healing’ towards a drug-free Philippines
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque is calling for ‘true healing’ as members of the Catholic Church launch their ‘Start the Healing’ campaign at the Edsa Shrine in Quezon City on Nov. 5, 2017. INQUIRER.NET FILE / NESTOR CORRALES
Malacañang said they were one in the true healing of the country as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) prepared a “Lord Heal Our Land” mass to launch its “Start the Healing” campaign on Sunday.
“Accountability is essential to good governance,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.
“We are one in the true healing of this nation that has long been divided by politics. We must come together as one country and one people and help the government in building a nation free from drugs, criminality and corruption,” he added.
Roque also reiterated that President Rodrigo Duterte allows constructive dissent and that his administration “does not, and will never condone extrajudicial and vigilante killings.”
In fact, Roque said authorities had been investigating 2,243 drug-related incidents as of end September.
“We wish to build better rapport with the Catholic Church and seek the cooperation of its leaders, even as we call on our Catholic brethren to pro-actively help government in our anti-illegal drug campaign, particularly in the rehabilitation and treatment of drug dependents,” he added.
The Catholic Church will launch its “Start the Healing” campaign after its “Stop the Killings” movement from September 23 to November 1 which condemned alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas earlier said a mass would be held at the Edsa shrine on Sunday at 3 p.m. This will be followed by a candlelight procession to the People Power monument, where a two-hour socio-cultural program was arranged.
“I am inviting you and the communities with you to participate in the second phase of this period of praying for the victims of extra judicial killings. We will start on November 5 until December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception,” Villegas said. /cbb
