Bishop Soc tells Aquino: Don't leave corrupt legacy

On the first anniversary of Cory Aquino's death, outspoken Bishop Socrates Villegas warned President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III about the dangers of being power-hungry and called on him to leave a legacy of a government totally different from what he has inherited. In a dig at ex-president Gloria Arroyo, Villegas urged Aquino to "make it easy for your successor." "President Noy, your indifference to the embellishments of power is edifying and almost incredible. Thank you for restoring our trust in government and for showing that public officials are indeed honorable people," said Villegas in his homily at the mass commemorating the first death anniversary. The bishop of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan is a longtime family friend of the Aquinos. "As you continue to lead us to the land of our dreams, do not forget June 30, 2016. Make it easy for your successor. You know how hard it is to inherit a corrupt system. Don’t do it unto your successor," Villegas added. The mass was held at the St. Benilde Gymnasium at the La Salle Greenhills campus in Mandaluyong City. President Aquino and his sisters Ballsy, Pinky, Viel, and Kris were present at the event. Mrs. Aquino passed away exactly a year ago today. Her death sparked an emotional outpouring among Filipinos around the world. Tens of thousands lined up for hours to attend her wake and then converged in the streets during her funeral cortege. It was also her death that triggered calls for her only son, Noynoy, to seek the presidency. With the help of "Cory magic," Mr. Aquino won in the May 10 automated polls after leading in the surveys nearly the entire way. Noynoy's assurance At a press briefing after the mass, the president assured the public that he would do everything to fix the problems left behind by the Arroyo administration. "Hindi ba noong simula pa lang tinatanong ako, tatakbo o hindi. Itinanong ko sa sarili kung iyon ba ang tadhana namin. Kami ang mag-aayos, tapos magtatanim at iba ang aani. Baka nga ganoon po (Even from the beginning, when I was asked whether I will run or not, I asked myself whether this was our destiny. We'll fix the country, but others will harvest what we sow. Perhaps that's really meant to be)," he said. In his address after the mass, Mr. Aquino called on the public to help change the country, saying "none of us can afford to be bystanders." "We can only end poverty if we fight corruption, and this is where everyone has a major role to play. It can be done in simple ways, by showing common courtesy to strangers, by paying taxes, by following traffic rules and by disposing of our waste properly," he said. Mr. Aquino also called on the public to report any wrongdoing that they are aware of. "The challenge is to convince those who want to support us that we are fair, just and sincere in our intentions to help our country. We can do this, if we live our lives trying to emulate Cory Aquino’s example in our service to our country and to our fellowmen," he said. Cory's legacy In his homily, Villegas said Cory gave her best to the Filipinos, serving the nation with humility and simplicity. "She [Cory] gave us her best when she was our President and yet she remained detached and unaffected by the trappings of power and prestige. Everything is vanity! God alone is enough," said Villegas. "The memory of Tita Cory teaches us the greatness of simplicity. Her memory is a sterling lesson of detachment from power and prestige," Villegas said. He heaped praise on Cory Aquino, known as the country's democracy icon. He likewise recalled "how fast time flies" after Cory's death. "Like a whirlwind, the wake and the funeral of President Cory awakened in us a new spirit of nationalism, a resurrection of lost pride as Filipinos because we remembered again that we are a race worth dying for," he said. The prelate also said that when Mr. Aquino announced his mother's death a year ago, the country saw him not as a government official but one of ordinary Filipinos grieving for the democracy icon. "He [Noynoy] was our brother because his mother was ours, too," said Villegas. Villegas also joked later that he wishes Noynoy to be "our most available and loving bachelor president," eliciting chuckles from the audience. Mr. Aquino's girlfriend, Valenzuela City councilor Shalani Soledad was present at the event. She was absent at his first State of the Nation Address last July 26, saying that she was busy with her official duties. Villegas was a protégé of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, a close ally of Cory Aquino. In February 1986, it was Sin who called on the public to march to EDSA and to defend reformist soldiers who withdrew their support for the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. The military-backed people's uprising eventually toppled the Marcos dictatorial rule. — with a report by Jam Sisante/LBG, GMANews.TV