Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista. INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
A Catholic bishop has called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reset the date of its seminar and training for Board of Election Inspectors and Board of Canvassers which will start on Holy Week.
Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad protested the Comelec order to teachers in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), particularly in the province of Basilan, to conduct its seminars during the Holy Week itself.
Jumoad said many teachers in the Muslim-dominated ARMM are also Catholics who need to reflect during the Holy Week.
“Nag-utos ang Comelec na magkaroon ng training sa loob ng Holy Week ‘yung mga teachers sa whole province ng Basilan, mag-training sila maski sa Holy Week, kaya nagprotesta ako. Irespeto naman sana natin ang Holy Week, importante ‘yun sa mga Katoliko,” Jumoad said over church-run Radyo Veritas.
“Totoo nandito kami sa mga lugar ng mga Muslim pero may mga Katoliko din dito… bigyan natin ng kahalagahan ang mga araw na ito dahil holy days for the Catholics,” he added.
(The Comelec called for training during the Holy Week for teachers in the whole province of Basilan, that they train even if it is the Holy Week, so I protested. Let us respect the Holy Week, it is important for Catholics.
READ: 90% of teachers now PCOS-certified
It’s true that we are in an area dominated by Muslims, but there are also Catholics here…let us give importance to these days because these are holy days for Catholics.)
Jumoad said Catholics themselves should respect their own religious observation, in the same way that Muslims are showing respect for the observance of Ramadan.
“Tayo ay nagrespeto sa holiday of Ramadan, dapat ‘yung holidays natin irespeto din natin at magkaroon tayo ng observation of silence,” he said.
(We respect the holiday of Ramadan, so we should also respect our own holidays and observe silence.)
The bishop said he texted Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista regarding his request to reschedule the trainings, but added that he only responded “we will try.” CDG
READ: Comelec eyes bigger pay for teachers