Aquino’s speech based on his experiences, says Tagle

President Benigno Aquino III speaks before an audience composed of Pope Francis, politicians and members of the diplomatic corps. PHOTO COURTESY of  Official Gazette

“Still a commentary on the previous administration” based on his personal and political experiences.

This was how Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle described President Benigno Aquino III’s speech during Pope Francis’ courtesy call in Malacañang Friday morning.

In his speech, Mr. Aquino criticized the bishops who remained silent about corruption and abuses during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration but who were now very vocal against him, “to the extent that one prelate admonished me to do something about my hair, as if it were a mortal sin.”

Said Tagle: “In many of his speeches since becoming president, (Mr. Aquino) has referred to the previous administration and how he has inherited some of the problems that the former administration was not able, or refused, to address. I heard a bit of that in his speech today. While the silence of some bishops was mentioned, I think it was still a commentary on the previous administration.”

In a press briefing late Friday, the cardinal said that while the President’s speech was important, the public must not lose its focus on the Pontiff, who will be in the Philippines only for a short time. The four-day papal visit ends tomorrow morning.

Saying that only Mr. Aquino could explain his speech, the cardinal said his impression was that (the words were) deeply rooted in the President’s personal and political experiences, including his own sufferings during the martial law years and his appreciation of the role of the Church at the time.

The Catholic Church, through the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, was a driving force in toppling martial law dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the February 1986 People Power revolt that catapulted President Aquino’s mother, Corazon Aquino, to the presidency.

The revolution happened almost three years after Mr. Aquino’s father, opposition Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. was assassinated upon his return from self-imposed exile in the United States.

“The personal experience that shaped that type of interpretation of facts was his own suffering during martial law,” Tagle said. “But there is also the political dimension,” he added.

Vatican spokesperson Fr. Federico Lombardi said the Pope would take seriously all that was said “with respect.”

“But he also has to evaluate and to listen to the people who can give him advice or more information,” Lombardi said.

“He listens to the bishops and to the priests and to the people who can give him opinions to have a general perspective,” added the Vatican official.

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