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Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Church offers 'Simbang Gabi' masses for return of ban on death penalty
By Marie Neri
THE Catholic Church is offering the nine-day Simbang Gabi or dawn masses to persuade the President to re-impose the ban on death penalty.
In a press conference at the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) main office in Intramuros, heads of the Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC) and the Coalition Against Death Penalty (CADP) said they hope "that the power of prayer, especially during the Christmas season, would touch the hearts of President Arroyo and all those who favor the death penalty."
"As we start the traditional Simbang Gabi (dawn masses), a preparation to move from dark to light to welcome Jesus in our hearts, let us pray for the enlightenment of our leaders and our people. We appeal to Her Excellency not to waste lives again," Pedro D. Arigo, chairman of the CBCP-ECPPC said.
While they understand that the President is trying to address the problem of rising criminality in the country, the Catholic Church pointed out that the decision to lift the moratorium on death penalty is not the best recourse as it would not resolve the rampant kidnappings and robberies in Metro Manila.
"The government seems to resort to appearances in addressing the problem of rising criminality, specifically kidnapping for ransom. The execution of the convict is a dramatic illustration, but this is not the sincerest effort to solve the problem but just a show - an illusion to appease the public that something is being done about crime," Arigo further lamented.
"We abhor this experimentation on the life of people," Arigo added.
The CBCP social welfare and development arm said the best way to handle the problem of criminality is through "restorative justice system.
For his part, running priest Robert Reyes of Gomburza said President Arroyo's decision to lift the moratorium on capital punishment "is obviously self-serving."
"It's all about business, stock, foreign exchange and investments. It is defensive and vindictive. It's all about turf, monopoly, exclusivity and property. It is affected and pretentious, degenerative and moribund," Reyes said.
Fr. Silvino Borres, CADP coordinator, echoed the sentiments of Reyes and Arigo by pointing out that the move to re-impose the death penalty is a "mockery of the season of Advent."
President Arroyo lifted the moratorium on death penalty after a number of Chinese traders and members of the Filipino-Chinese community because of the spate of kidnappings in Metro Manila, victimizing Chinese-Filipino nationals.
(December 17, 2003 issue)
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