ANGELES CITY -- Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David has asked the Kapampangan laity here to stop pushing priests and religious leaders to run for public office.

David made the call during the multi-sectoral forum on Constituents Assembly (Con-Ass) with constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas at the Holy Angel University Theater here.

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The event was attended by representatives of the different religious organizations, students, teachers, civic groups, and parish pastoral councils.

David said the time has come for Kapampangans to look among themselves for a moral leader that could effectively deliver change in local governance.

“Political positions are the realms of the laity and not of men and women of the cloth. I believe that the laity of Pampanga is now more mature and ready to take active part in governance and look among themselves for a leader,” he said.

The prelate said it is the position of the Catholic Church to leave political positions to the laity. However, he said the election of suspended priest Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio in May 2007 “was a different situation” and the circumstances were not the same as today’s political situation.

“We must stop pushing the religious to run for public office. It is a different realm all together from religious ministry,” David said.

Panlilio, who was present in the forum, told Sun.Star that it was not his personal decision to run in the last gubernatorial election but was persuaded by his supporters from civil and religious groups.

The priest-turned-governor, while being reported to eye the presidential or a senatorial seat in 2010, said it is still his primary intention to return to his priestly vocation.

While he is reminding the laity not to push priests into public office, David said the church is giving a firm call to the laity “to actively participate in politics and the affairs of local government.”

“Even Pope Benedict in his exhortations has been continuously reminding the public that the laity should not detach themselves from politics,” he said.

He added that civil and religious groups should actively take part in the selection and fielding of local candidates to replace traditional politicians and ineffective local leaders.

David also called those in attendance to combat “immoral leadership” by government officials and continuously being vigilant in monitoring the decisions of politicians that may undermine the people’s rights and freedom. (Ian Ocampo Flora)