Cebu archdiocese clarifies Aquino-quit call

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Archdiocese of Cebu has clarified it was not supporting calls for President Aquino to step down, saying there appeared to be some confusion following Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal’s reading of a statement by the National Transformation Council on Feb. 13.

Msgr. Joseph Tan, media liaison officer of the archdiocese, told reporters on Monday the Archdiocese of Cebu maintained its stand of not being for or against calls for Aquino to resign.

Tan distributed copies of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma’s statement clarifying its stand.

Palma said Vidal “did not categorically say and express his desire and support for the resignation of the President.”

“In fact, his statement concluded with an appeal to all bishops and religious leaders of faith-based communities to pray to God for guidance and renewal of the nation,” Palma said.

He added that while the Church respected the opinions and sentiments of those calling for the President to resign, the Church was not in a position to issue such a political statement “for it is beyond her competence.”

“I am not also making any statement of such nature because I fully subscribe to the CBCP statement issued last Feb. 4 by Archbishop Socrates Villegas which denies any moral support from the CBCP for those calling for the President to step down,” Palma said.–Carmel Loise Matus