Prelates acted on their own, says CBCP of visit to Arroyo

Former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Five Catholic archbishops on Sunday visited former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and said Mass in her suite at the state-run hospital where she is detained on plunder charges.

Arroyo’s spokesperson was quick to describe it as a sign of the prelates’ compassion for the persecuted former president turned Pampanga representative.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), however, distanced itself from the visit, saying the prelates acted on their own.

Lawyer Raul Lambino, counsel for Arroyo, said in a text message that five leaders of the Catholic Church—Archbishops Rolando Tirona of Nueva Caceres (Naga), Nerio Odchimar of Tandag and Diosdado Talamayan of Tuguegarao; and Bishops Emilio Marquez of Quezon and Ramon Villena of Nueva Vizcaya—celebrated Mass for Arroyo at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City.

Lambino quoted the five as saying during the homily that “they come and visit in order to give her encouragement and help strengthen her faith even more to fight for truth and justice, to show their authentic friendship to someone who is suffering from sickness and injustice, and to share their love and compassion with somebody who is being harassed and persecuted.”

Lambino reiterated that the former president’s condition had deteriorated since she was served an arrest warrant in October 2012 after the Ombudsman accused her and nine other officials of plunder for the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds.

Commenting on the Mass for Arroyo, CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the five prelates did not represent the CBCP and were acting on their own.

“They were there in their individual capacities. It was [up] to their prudent judgment,” he said.

Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz agreed with Villegas, saying that his own visit to Arroyo recently was his personal choice and had nothing to do with the CBCP.

“That was my personal decision. We have our own options, especially me, I’m retired,” Cruz said in a separate interview.

Cruz visited Arroyo at the VMMC to seek a reconciliation with the former president whose administration he often criticized. Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles has also visited Arroyo.

The five Church leaders were the latest in a string of political and religious leaders to visit.

Politicians who have trooped to the VMMC have included former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Estrada, former Vice President Noli de Castro, evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva and former first lady Imelda R. Marcos.