The People Will Decide

More than two years ago, I came across this letter which may still be relevant today considering the perceived neutrality of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) amidst the brewing political storm fanned by the NBN-ZTE scandal. The letter was written during the height of the Hello Garci controversy after the CBCP, under the leadership of Archbishop Fernando Capalla, discouraged efforts at the House of Representatives to impeach Ms. Gloria Arroyo and instead advised the Catholic faithful to simply “move on”.

The CBCP has made a significant transformation since Capalla was replaced by Archbishop Angel Lagdameo. With the call for “communal action” and to seek the truth and restore integrity in governance, the CBCP has at least acknowledged the need for change in the status quo. However, it stopped short of calling for the resignation of Ms. Arroyo and disappointed many who are hoping for the CBCP to come up with a stronger statement.

Hence, even with a relatively more progressive stance by the CBCP, the letter still rings true in the sense that the people must rely on their on judgment rather than look towards the CBCP for guidance. “But it is still the people who will decide,” the letter states.

===================

January 24, 2006

CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES (CBCP)
Pope Pius Center, City of Manila

TAKE YOUR GUIDANCE FROM THE PEOPLE NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND

Dear Bishops:

Perhaps, unlike any other letter that you may have received, this one is not a plea. We shall not beseech you to issue a statement affirming the deep conviction of majority of the Filipino people that the fake President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should stop the charade and give up power that is not hers. If you, our bishops, should prefer to sign your own death sentence towards irrelevance by taking vague positions in the face of evident fraud, corruption, and wanton acts of repression by Ms. Arroyo, we shall not force you to do otherwise. Indeed, why should we eagerly await your so-called “guidance” as if it were manna from heaven?

No, to beg for your “guidance” is to concede to you an authority that is clearly not yours, for the nation’s destiny is not a slave of your prejudices, narrow-mindedness, and unreasonable conservatism.

You may go on with your statements asking people to simply “pray away” the madness and insanity of the political system where not the rule of law reigns, but the rule of criminal syndicates, thieves and charlatans; where to be virtuous and heroic like Gudani and Balutan is a crime and to be a cover-up artist for cheats is a virtue. You may insist on having timid, indolent “God-fearing” children of the Church who must leave the burden of national transformation to impersonal “constitutional processes” than taste the blood, sweat and tears of active struggle.

But it is still the people who will decide. It is the people, NOT YOU, who have the right to effect their sovereign will. It is the people, NOT YOU, who will say whether it is time for revolution. Take your guidance from the people, if only you care to listen, and not the other way around.

It is you who taught us to read the signs of the times. We have done so and have concluded that this is not a time to overlook Ms. Arroyo’s crimes and simply “move on” --- an ignominious piece of advice from you that WE REJECT. We are but participants in the inexorable laws of history. Everywhere you look, you will see that no nation was ever born without the blood of its martyrs and without a decisive outcome forced by a clash of contending ideas.

You, on the other hand, in your sequel to the pastoral statement of July 10, 2005, tell us to shun conflict, and instead focus our attention to the problem of poverty. It is as if not to submit, in silent acceptance, to the exploitation and abuses of the present administration under the prevailing socio-political and economic system does not ultimately address poverty.

No, we cannot pretend that there is no simmering conflict and division in our country today and suffer the symptoms of national neurosis. We cannot simply forget the divide, reconcile, and move on. We shall participate in that conflict, recognize the values that separate us from the people’s enemies, and fight with all our passion and strength against the forces unleashed by the evil administration of Ms. Arroyo. The only way to build a nation is to build it on a strong foundation of values forged by the burning crucible of struggle. Only a weak and confused nation arises from unity based on peaceful accommodation of all parties.

Make your statements, they do not matter; we shall have justice, and we shall take it, or we shall be martyrs!

Yours,
MANDALUYONG GROUP