Bacolod clergy divided over 'Team Patay' issue

NOT all priests under the Diocese of Bacolod agree to the posting of the controversial 'Team Patay and Team Buhay' tarp at the San Sebastian Cathedral.

Monsignor Victorino Rivas, Rector of the Redemptorist Church, in an interview with ABS-CBN said the tarp is unchristian and forms of maligning those candidates whose names were printed on it.

Rivas said that he just arrived from the US. Hence, he issued his stand on the controversy only on Tuesday.

While the Roman Catholic Church is united in its advocacy against the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill that made the Diocese of Bacolod come up with the controversial tarpaulin, the Redemptorist Church under Rivas opened to just display the red banners as their expression against RH Bill.

Other churches under the Diocese has also posted smaller tarpaulins that bears only the words "Team Patay, Never" in yellow color. The tarps do not bear the names of those who voted for the RH Bill, unlike the one at the San Sebastian Cathedral.

The churches that have posted the smaller tarps are the Abad Santos Parish, St. Joseph the Worker, and the Fatima Parish.

Meanwhile, Rivas also views that the 'Team Tatay' campaign circulated in text messages is a form of a threat to destroy the Church in retaliation to the controversial 'Team Patay and Team Buhay' tarp.

He said that everyone, including some priests, has sensitivities.

Team Tatay exposed some priests who allegedly fathered some children despite their vows of celibacy.

A group which calls itself Buklod ng Malayang Pilipino claimed responsibility for the circulation of 'Team Tatay' messages. (TDE)