MANILA, Philippines—The Southern Tagalog alliance in the House of Representatives will ask the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to sanction Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a congressman said Saturday.

In a statement, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, the leader of the regional caucus, said Cruz lied “in public” when he denied making remarks that tended to have one believe he would refuse to give Holy Communion to President Macapagal-Arroyo and members of her family.

“(He set a) very bad example to Catholics by telling a barefaced lie [in order] to backtrack on what a multitude of people heard him say during a press conference,” Suarez said.

Suarez said their group of 28 congressmen is considering “elevating the matter to the Vatican if the CBCP will refuse to sanction Cruz.”

“Archbishop Cruz cannot claim that what he said was taken out of context or misunderstood by members of the media as that press conference, I believe, was videotaped,” Suarez said.

Cruz was quoted in news reports as saying he would not give communion to “public sinners” when he was asked if he would give the sacrament to Ms Arroyo or members of her family. Norman Bordadora