Catholic schools lambaste bets using ‘massively financed trolls’

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MANILA, Philippines — The biggest network of private Catholic schools in the country has denounced political candidates who run their platform on lies and historical distortion as seen on social media through “massively financed trolls.”

In a statement on Monday, the Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP) called out the massive disinformation that was “deceiving our people, especially our youth, in a way that is unparalleled in our history.”

“We vehemently reject the candidates who run under this platform … particularly the brazen representation of the Marcos dictatorship and martial law as benevolent regimes in our political history,” it said.

At the same time, the group criticized those who “exploit our people’s poverty through vote buying and intimidation” as well as candidates who support the government’s rejection of the Hague ruling and the lack of protection for fisherfolk.

Founded in 1941, CEAP has over 1,484 member-schools with more than 120 superintendents of Catholic schools nationwide.

The organization noted that the May elections would be a chance to “break the darkness” and restore the integrity of society “now languishing in the darkness of lies, injustice, authoritarianism and dysfunctional leadership and governance.”

CEAP also said it was against candidates who backed the current administration’s unjust policies, most especially the war on drugs “that has killed thousands, mostly poor and powerless, and the blatant lack of remorse and accountability from the country’s leadership.”

Although the group did not mention any names, it said it supported candidates with no record of corruption and practiced transparency, accountability, and demonstrated competence in participatory governance.

CEAP added that it was backing those who would “uphold, push and support legislation to strengthen private education and recognize its complementarity with public education, as critical in nation building.”

“We support leaders who wield power as social responsibility and not self-entitlement, and who can connect to the spiritual in their lives, through their conscience, discernment and faith in God,” it said.

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