Prelate calls on voters to choose ‘rightful bets’

WITH barely three months to go before the May elections, a prelate urged Filipinos to choose rightful candidates to serve the needs of the people.

Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, said the people should be keen in choosing candidates who have conscience, knowledge, are merciful and are genuinely willing to serve the people, especially the helpless.

Ledesma made the call in his homily during the opening ceremony of the Social Action Month at the Capitol University gymnasium.

He also appealed to the people not to sell their votes and encourage them to adhere on the call of good governance.

“I enjoined lay people to strengthen our effort and to make known our actions against vote buying,” Ledesma said.

The launching of the Social Action Month strongly supports the advocacy against political dynasties as the Movement Against Dynasties (MAD) brings the fight to Mindanao.

Ledesma said political dynasties clearly involved corruption in public office.

“It is violence against society,” he added.

Danilo Olivares, MAD co-chair, said in a statement that the opening salvo in Cagayan de Oro on Sunday created awareness regarding the proliferation of political dynasties as he convinced voters not to vote for members of political dynasties.

A signature campaign for the petition proposing for the enactment of an enabling law that will make the provision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution against political dynasties operational was launched at the St. Augustine Cathedral, Nazareno Church and at the Our Lady of Fatima in Cagayan de Oro. (Abigail Chee Kee Malalis)