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Church wants laity to lead fight vs graft


MANILA, Philippines - Catholic Church officials exhorted lay people to take the lead in fighting graft and corruption, especially with the 2010 elections just around the corner. Online news site The News Today reported that the call was made at the national convention of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines that ended Wednesday. "The convention is very practical because this is a good preparation for the forthcoming national elections," said Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo. Lagdameo said graft and corruption remains one of the most pressing problems of the country. "The Church encourages the vigorous participation of the laity in governance not only in the Church but also of society. The laity must be at the forefront in solving our social problems," he said. Bishop Gabriel Reyes, who chairs the CBCP's Episcopal Commission on the Laity, said lay people can help minimize if not eradicate corruption. "Bishops and priests can only exhort them to do it and to provide spiritual formation, but they should be at the forefront," Reyes said. He said that based on reports and stories of lay people, graft and corruption in government is worsening. "The challenge to all government officials in all levels of governance is to live the faith," said Reyes. In his homily during a Mass, Reyes acknowledged that corruption in government has been institutionalized in the country. "It must be hard to be a good, to be a Christian politician in the Philippines," he said. Reyes admitted that corruption exists even in the Church. "There is corruption in the Church… but not as much as in government," he said drawing laughter and applause from the audience. Reyes said the practice of giving an "SOP," or standard operating procedure, which involves an automatic kickback to officials in government projects, purchases or transactions, should be stopped. He said it seems that the practice has already become acceptable to the people and they have stopped opposing it. "There must be a change in mindset. It is not acceptable. It is wrong," he said. Also, the Council of the Laity of the Philippines threw its support for Pampanga Gov. Eddie "Ed" Panlilio against a recall campaign to oust him from office. In the statement issued at the culmination of the three-day national convention, the national organization of lay people said they are supporting Panlilio's campaign to "promote integrity and honesty in government." "We are backing him in his fight for good governance and his battle against the proposed recall, which will bring to naught his noble and difficult work against graft and corruption," the group said in a statement. Panlilio, who is on leave from his duties as priest, was one of the speakers in the convention. But he is facing a recall bid initiated by a non-government organization led by a former election campaigner of Lilia Pineda. - GMANews.TV
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