Lights, tarps, pray: Pro-Sereno groups hold vigil vs ouster move

RED RIBBONS / MAY 10, 2018
Pedestrians walks pass the gate of Supreme Court in P. Faura, Manila laced with red ribbons on Thursday, May 10, 2018 a day after embattled Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno returned to her office ending her indefinite leave of absence.
INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Religious groups opposing the quo warranto case filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno held a Wall of Light prayer vigil in front of the Supreme Court in support of the chief magistrate.

Hundreds of religious groups and their members lined up along Padre Faura to cover all the gates of the high tribunal.

They held different tarpaulins all seeking for justice, reason and the dropping of the quo warranto case that the Office of the Solicitor General filed against Sereno.

Amid the rains and the bustling weekday traffic, the group, only armed with prayer, candles and praise songs, called for light amid the darkness they called injustice.

“We’re here because we believe the quo warranto is illegal,” said Wyden King, the 64-year-old chairman and president of Legend Hotels International Corporation.

“Things are getting more dark and dark… They are twisting the law to remove the chief justice,” King added.

The Wall of Light was part of the 11-day prayer vigil that Sereno supporters would hold on Padre Faura Street.

Last Sunday, a group of Catholic priests led by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo called on the people to oppose and stand up against the justices of the Supreme Court, who are abusing their powers to interpret the law.

Together with Pabillo, activists priests Robert Reyes, Nonong Fajardo and Bong Sarabia offered incense in front of the court to exorcise the “evil” deeds of the justices.

Pabillo made this call in his homily during the sixth day of the 11-day prayer vigil of religious groups in front of SC’s office on Padre Faura Street in Manila.

“The fight for justice is a fight for love. Here what we want is justice that they follow the law. But here the terrible thing happened. Those we’re supposed to trust to enforce justice were the ones tinkering with the law, and that’s not right,” Pabillo said.

“We have to express our sentiments [against it] because as a nation of God when the interpreters of the laws abuse their positions, we should speak against it,” Pabillo added.

Pabillo said the fight for justice is a form of love – the social dimension of love.

“And that’s love for country. I hope we draw strength from this kind of love,” he said.

The people should not ignore this situation, said Pabillo. “Today they’re not yet affected. Later, they would be,” he said.

After the Mass, the priests and protesters crossed the street, sang a protest song and held a vigil in front of SC’s gate.

After the prayers, Fajardo and Sarabia lifted the pot of incense. Together with Reyes who was clutching a bottle of holy water, the priests went to the four gates of the court as if shooing away evil spirits.

“They should stop whatever evil they’re doing. Yes, I’m referring to the 14 justices,” Reyes said./ac