Antipork rallies held in Laoag, Cebu cities

The outrage over the misuse of the pork barrel continues to mount.

At least 5,000 people joined the prayer rally in Cebu City on Sunday and 100 people joined leaders of the Catholic Church, Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and United Church of Christ in the Philippines

(UCCP) in a prayer rally on Saturday in Laoag City.

“We will definitely discern and be able to recommend solutions even as we study the dynamics of executive, legislative and judicial branches of our government that the hard-earned money that we gave through taxes may be truly spent for the welfare of community,” Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said in a recorded message.

People from the academe, and religious, business and civil society groups converged at Fuente Osmeña at 1:30 p.m. before marching to Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City.

At 3 p.m., a concelebrated Mass by more than 50 priests was held at the Plaza Independencia.

Ralliers were encouraged to sign a unity statement, issued by the Cebu Coalition Against the Pork Barrel System, that called on the resignation of officials charged with plunder in the Office of Ombudsman for their involvement in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

The statement also called for punishment of those found guilty in the pork scam and the return of public funds that were squandered.

In Laoag, Catholic Bishop Renato Mayugba said: “It’s not enough that we register our opposition to pork barrel…. When we look at the pork barrel system, it is just one of the symptoms of a sick state of affairs in the country.”

Rev. Sadire Gumpad of the UCCP said: “We paid a significant amount [of money] through our taxes to uplift the nation and to help in poverty

alleviation. Sadly, our political leaders have proven themselves to be no better than Judas.”—Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas and Leilanie Adriano, Inquirer Northern Luzon