Militants criticize Cardinal Vidal for siding with 'morally bankrupt' admin

MANILA, Philippines — The militant group Pamalakaya criticized Cebu Archbishop Cardinal Vidal for defending President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo amid calls by five other Roman Catholic Church bishops for radical changes in the country’s social and political system in light of the moral bankruptcy in the Arroyo government. "This is supposed to be a battle royale between the forces of good and evil. How come Cardinal Vidal is engaged in political flirtation with the ruling de facto Martial Law and corrupt regime in Malacañang," Pamalakaya lamented in a statement on Saturday. Last Tuesday, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, together with Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon, Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas and Legazpi Bishop-Emeritus Jose Sorra, criticized the rampant graft and corruption in government and called on the people to prepare for the next government. “The biggest culprit and major cause of our nation’s poverty and hunger is graft and corruption which has invaded all public and private institutions. Corruption is the abuse and misuse of public or private office to unlawfully enrich oneself and those close to him, or induce others to do the same. It is only an economic and social problem but by and large a moral issue and a moral problem," said part of the statement read by Lagdameo, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president. San Fernando, La Union Bishop Artemio Rillera, has also threw his support behind the five bishops, saying corruption in government is already too much to bear. On Friday, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), an aggrupation of Protestant churches, also joined the call for a “new government." "Bribery and other corrupt practices continue to be the glaring manifestations of moral decadence under the present administration. These shady practices seem to have become the norm and that decency has been sacrificed in the desire to remain in power," said the NCCP in a press statement. Pamalakaya challenged other archbishops and bishops of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to speak out on the call of CBCP President Angel Lagdameo and four other prelates to have radical reforms against corruption and for the Filipino people to prepare for new government. "The archbishops and the bishops of the CBCP are being called by the collective interest and national sentiment of the Filipino people to speak out, denounce and fight the corrupt, brutal and criminal regime of Mrs. Arroyo. That is their collective calling today," the militant group added. - GMANews.TV