CHURCH MESSAGE A tarpaulin listing members of “Team Patay” hangs on the wall of the Saint Ferdinand Cathedral in Lucena City in Quezon. In Negros Occidental, a new and smaller version of the tarpaulin is displayed in front of the San Jose Obrero Parish Church in EB Magalona town. DELFIN T. MALLARI JR./INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON AND CARLA P. GOMEZ/INQUIRER VISAYAS
BACOLOD CITY—The war on election tarpaulins has spread to about 30 more Catholic churches in Metro Bacolod.
New “Team Patay” tarpaulins have been put up by the Diocese of Bacolod in the churches but this time, these were smaller than the one displayed at the San Sebastian Cathedral and did not list the names of senatorial candidates who voted for or against the reproductive health (RH) law.
These also bear the message “Diocese of Bacolod Pro-Life Forever, Team Patay Never,” printed on a background of the Church color yellow.
Similar tarpaulins will be displayed in some 65 parishes all over the diocese by Friday, Vicar General Monsignor Louie Galbines said on Sunday. Other versions will be printed later, he added.
Only a few churches in Metro Bacolod have not posted the new tarpaulins.
Comelec position
The controversial 6 by 10 feet tarpaulin that lists the names of senatorial candidates and party-list groups belonging to “Team Buhay” and “Team Patay” still hangs in front of the San Sebastian Cathedral.
While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has said it must be taken down as it is an oversized campaign material that has the names of candidates, the diocese has stressed that it is part of the Church campaign against the RH law and covered by the law on freedom of expression.
The Supreme Court has granted the diocese a temporary restraining order stopping any Comelec action. It will hear the case on March 19.
‘Team Tatay’
Spinning off from the controversy are the “Team Tatay” text messages containing the names of five priests who allegedly sired children.
Sought for comment, Galbines said these appeared to be a tactic to divert attention from the diocesan campaign. “I hope people distinguish between social issues and personal issues,” he said.
He said the Church has its own way of dealing with the matter.
A Church source said two of the priests on the Team Tatay list were being falsely accused and suspected that the person responsible for the text messages is a former seminarian with an ax to grind against the bishop and the clergy.