Church hints at endorsing pro-life partylist groups

MANILA (Updated) -- Despite earlier pronouncements of non-partisanship in the May 13 elections, an official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has inadvertently showed his unsurprising support for two pro-life party-list organizations.

CBCP–Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL) chairman Bishop Gabriel Reyes said prelates would have been happier had Ang Pro Life and Buhay party-lists got “better” placing in the official ballots.

He was referring to the 135th and 71st places drawn for Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay) and Ang Pro Life, respectively, during last Friday’s raffle by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

However, the bishop said there is no reason to object to the positions drawn since a raffle was totally done randomly.

“We just have to accept what is there,” said Reyes.

The raffle was initiated after the poll body decided to do away with the old system of alphabetically lining-up the party-list groups in the ballots.

As to the chances of the two groups at gaining seats in the House of Representatives, the prelate left the decision to the voters.

“I’m sure that if the voters are really for pro-life groups, they will vote for them even if they are in the last place,” said Reyes.

Pro-life groups have been the strongest allies of the CBCP in challenging the recently passed reproductive health (RH) law.

Ang Pro-life nominated James Imbong, son of CBCP legal counsel Jo Imbong. On the other hand, Buhay is principally supported by charismatic leader Bro. Mike Velarde of El Shaddai, whose son Representative Rene Velarde is seeking to retain his seat. (HDT/Sunnex)