Church agrees to priests as Army chaplains again

DAVAO CITY—The Catholic Church has agreed anew to deploy priests as chaplains in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), 40 years after it stopped doing so.

The declaration of martial law has soured the relationship between the Marcos dictatorship and the Catholic hierarchy that priests stopped performing as military chaplains.

On Monday, two priests—Bonifacio Ampoyas and Pedro Maniwang—became the first members of the Catholic clergy to be named as chaplains in the AFP Reserve Force under the Eastern Mindanao Command based here.

Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla and Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez had approved the deployment of Ampoyas and Maniwang to the AFP.

“It has the recommendation of the bishop,” Ampoyas, who is assigned to the Diocese of Marbel, said.

Ampoyas, who was commissioned lieutenant colonel, said it was good that the Church has finally agreed to send chaplains to the military again because there has been a lack of chaplains these days.

The priest, who said he nearly became a soldier, said he was inspired by the work of men in uniform while working with the military for community improvement for his decision to become a military chaplain.

Ampoyas said he passed Philippine Military Academy  entrance tests but said “my calling as priest was stronger.” Ayan Mellejor, Inquirer Mindanao