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Friday, April 14, 2006
Espinoza: Lent and the politicians
By ELIAS L. ESPINOZA
What I can vividly recall about Holy Week when I was in my elementary days in my small hometown in Cagwait, Surigao del Sur is that the town folks don’t do anything but pray for penance at the church.
The children were not allowed to play any game, so that our basketball court looked deserted. Games are only allowed on Easter Sunday after the mass. I was always with my late mother, who was very religious, at the church doing nothing.
At one time (I was already a sophomore) during Good Friday, I was tasked to lead the prayer during “The Way of the Cross” held at the Poblacion’s streets, where every corner (seven corners) there was an adorned altar where we would stop and pray.
It was a satisfying experience for me to lead the prayer. After I left my hometown for my college studies here I never had the same experience again. Of course, my family and I still do the way of the cross here during the “visita iglesia”. My son now leads the prayer.
It is a Catholic practice to do penance or atonement during Holy Week, when the passion and death of Jesus Christ is reenacted or celebrated.
Like during the Christmas season, Lent is also the time that we see politicians go to church not to shake hands with the parishioners but perhaps to ask forgiveness for their shortcomings.
Talking about the signature campaign that the DILG spearheaded for the Malacañang inspired “People’s Initiative”, I wonder if those who signed twice or signed for other people’s names ever tried asking atonement this week.
I am glad the Comelec had spoken the truth. It is apparent that for this administration to get the required percentage for the people’s initiative to be approved, some persons must have listed and signed their names twice while others signed for other people’s names.
The Comelec found out that the signatures appearing in the forms do not match the signatures in the list of registered voters. Worse, some listed names are not anymore registered voters.
The timing for the signature campaign was almost perfect. The DILG did it before the Holy Week. Those who did the inanity in the signature campaign can simply said the Lord will forgive them this Lenten Season.
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On Tuesday while I was at the clubhouse of Mactan Island Golf Club, I accidentally met Brig. Gen. Emmanuel “Jim” Jimenez of the Air Force, who was the deputy commander before of the Tactical Operations Command at the Mactan Air Base.
General Jimenez asked my assistance for the circulation of the “Counter-Terrorism Experts’ Conference” that is scheduled on April 20 to 22, at the Shangri-la Mactan.
The conference will be attended with international personalities. Several speakers were invited to talk on counter-terrorism. The conference is also in preparation for the coming Asean Summit in December.
According to General Jimenez, the details of the conference are also available on its website: CTEC2006.org.ph. Guests and the media are welcome during the conference, Jimenez said.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 13, 2006 issue)
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