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Friday, June 30, 2006
Editorials: Matter of credibility
President Arroyo’s credibility has been questioned following Pope Benedict XVI’s reaction to reports about the situation in the Philippines.
Correspondents covering the President’s visit to the Vatican tended to present this picture: The Pope “was not quite happy with the way clergymen in the country interfere in government affairs and in politics.”
It is something that triggers again a debate on the relationship of Church and State.
Interference
Indeed, some activist elements of the clergy in the country cannot contain themselves every time they perceive the national leadership to be doing something in excess of what they believe it should do.
In response, the Palace ends up raising the issue about the Church’s interference in the nation’s governance.
But the question is, was it diplomatically right for the President to bring up before the Pope what appears to be an internal affair of the Filipinos?
The President, as some keen observers aver, did appear like a crybaby in the way she tried to draw the Pope into mixing it up with the affairs of our republic.
She showed her displeasure over the fact that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has time and again opposed some of her policy decisions.
Possible breach
In the end, though, the situation is boiling down to the matter of whom to believe.
For in denying that the Philippine Church has interfered in the affairs of the State, the CBCP, through its spokesman, implied that the President did not tell the truth.
Anyway, it is best that this be settled as soon as the President and her party return to the Philippines.
The matter of presidential credibility has been placed at issue here, and if it is not clarified or settled in the most amicable manner, an open breach in the relationship of the Church and the State could occur, and it would not redound to the good of the republic.
Ineffective
It will create a crack in the people’s sense of loyalty to their government and to their faith.
It will push the faithful to take sides: the national political leaders or the religious leaders of their faith.
Either way, the outcome won’t be good for national unity and spiritual reconciliation.
It would, at the same time, render ineffective and inutile the presidential initiative at curtailing graft and corruption in public offices, alleviating mass poverty, and containing terrorism.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 30, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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