Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has defended President Aquino against mounting calls, including those from several bishops, for him to step down following the Mamasapano debacle that killed 44 members of the Special Action Force in January. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has defended President Aquino against mounting calls, including those from several bishops, for him to step down following the Mamasapano debacle that killed 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) in January.
In an interview from England with ABS-CBN, Tagle also opposed the creation of an advisory council that would supposedly take over in the event Aquino was forced to resign, questioning the credibility of those who would constitute such body.
“Who are these personalities who would form part of the advisory council? Who will establish that when there is also doubt on some institutions?” Tagle said in the interview aired on “TV Patrol.”
Instead of calling for the resignation of Aquino and pushing for an advisory council that would take the latter’s place, the nation must work together to strengthen government institutions, according to Tagle.
“It cannot always be changed like that. The election is near. So let the electoral process [work] and let the people determine [the next leader]. He (Aquino) is no longer seeking reelection,” said Tagle, who graced a youth event hosted by Catholic Youth Ministry Federation at Wembley Arena in London over the weekend.
‘Advisory body’
Late last month, former Tarlac Gov. Tingting Cojuangco said her husband, former Tarlac Rep. Peping Cojuangco, an uncle of Aquino, was able to convince Vice President Jejomar Binay to form an advisory body should the President be forced to step down from his post.
But Binay’s camp denied this, saying the Vice President was opposed to the resignation of the President.
Several Catholic bishops and a cardinal, members of the National Transformation Council that also includes former officials of the Arroyo administration, earlier called for the resignation of Aquino and other officials, and supported the creation of a transition council.
Over the past weeks, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) itself has been vocal in criticizing Aquino for his poor handling of the Jan. 25 clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, which left 44 police commandos, 18 Moro rebels and five civilians dead.
Last month, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, the CBCP president, challenged the President to disclose his role in the Mamasapano counterterrorism operation.
He also advised Aquino to accept “just criticism” and warned his allies against covering up for him.
The CBCP was excluded from Monday’s prayer meeting in Malacañang that was attended by leaders of homegrown religious groups.
At the gathering on the Palace grounds, Aquino explained his role during the SAF operation to take down two terrorists—Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” and his Filipino deputy, Basit Usman. The SAF killed Marwan, but Usman was able to escape.
CBCP excluded
Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, among the clerics calling on the President to resign, said the CBCP would not lose its credibility after it was excluded from the prayer meeting.
Arguelles said he was happy that the Church hierarchy was not invited at all by Aquino to the prayer gathering, saving the bishops supportive of Aquino from exposing their “wrong allegiance.”
“I am not surprised that he excluded the Catholic bishops… But I don’t think the CBCP becomes less credible by being excluded by a teetering regime,” Arguelles told reporters.
No idea
He said he had no idea why Aquino did not invite the CBCP but added, “I think he should have invited some members of the CBCP, especially those who approve of or are blind to his misrule.
But on second thought, he said, “I am happy the CBCP wasn’t invited and the [pro-Aquino] bishops have not exposed their wrong allegiance.”
When sought for comment, Villegas, the CBCP president, said he, too, had no idea why Catholic bishops were excluded from the prayer meeting.
“I dare not interpret his rationale for his decisions,” Villegas told the Inquirer in a text message.
So much unlike Cory
Arguelles pointed out that Aquino was “so much different” from his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, a devout Catholic who had a strong relationship with the Church during her administration.
The Catholic Church, led by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, helped catapult Cory Aquino to power through the peaceful Edsa People Power Revolution three years after the assassination of her husband, Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. in August 1983.
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