Priest pitches ‘wild idea’ to Gina Lopez: Run for president

Gina Lopez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

Following the rejection of her appointment as environment secretary, Gina Lopez was urged by a Catholic priest to consider running in the 2022 presidential election.

Fr. Edwin Gariguez clarified that his appeal was personal and not the position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, where he holds a position in its social action arm.

“My appeal to her is a wild idea. If she was rejected as environment secretary, I want to tell her to run as President in 2022. Why not?” the priest said on Friday.

Gariguez, the executive secretary of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action, made the remarks at a press conference launching a 21-day march against the revival of the death penalty.

The Commission on Appointments on Wednesday rejected Lopez’s appointment as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

READ: CA rejects Gina Lopez; mining stocks jump

Church officials lamented this development, calling it a great loss on the part of the Duterte administration.

Gariguez stressed that the Philippines needs a leader with a genuine heart for the poor.

“We need a leader with a heart for the poor, who will prioritize justice and the common good as the framework for development. She may not be DENR secretary but I hope she will be President come 2022,” the priest said.

READ: Environmental groups dismayed at CA rejection of Gina Lopez

He admitted that it was still too early to foresee the possible candidates in the presidential race five years from now.

“It’s too early but we really need real change. Between (senator Manny) Pacquiao or (ex-senator Bongbong) Marcos, I think Lopez is more deserving. This is my personal opinion though,” Gariguez emphasized. IDL/rga