Facade of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)in Intramuros, Manila City. (File photo by RUDY ESPERAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Sunday urged the Filipino voters to be “on guard against the suspicious and dubious,” referring to those who spread lies, hatred, and those who manipulate other people for their own personal gain.
A pastoral letter on the 2022 elections—CBCP’s second pastoral statement on the coming polls signed by Caloocan Bishop and CBCP president Pablo Virgilio David—warned against those who take advantage of poverty and vulnerability of the Filipinos “to acquire votes.”
“May we not forget: the welfare of all is everybody’s responsibility … Can we afford to be indifferent while our freedom and our future are at stake?” CBCP said.
As the May 9 polls draw near with the start of the local campaign period on Friday, it further reminded the Catholic faithful of the election’s “great importance.”
“Each vote is important, so important that it is sought, bought or even stolen … When we sell our vote, we lose our voice and our decision. It is like giving up our freedom and our future,” the group said.
Reiterating the Catholic Church’s consistent recommendation to the laypeople, CBCP said conversations, scrutiny, and evaluation of the political and social situation along with the national and local candidates must be continued in the form of circles of discernment.
“Let us uphold and not compromise our moral principles in the task of political engagement and nation-building. Let us follow our conscience, striving to maintain an informed and correct conscience,” it said.
CBCP also addressed the common misconception of separation of Church and State that some Filipinos use in calling out priests and the clergy who are staunch critics of political and societal issues.
“There is no law that prohibits any church or religion to speak about and engage in politics … The Church and the State serve one and the same people. The Church, however, cannot be indifferent toward the truth, good and justice,” it said.
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