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Sunday, April 11, 2004
Vidal taps 'peace vote'
CEBU -- With only a month until the polls, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal focused on peace for his Easter Sunday message, in the same week that he secured a guarantee of protection for the church's election volunteers.
He urged voters to choose candidates who embody Christ's gift of peace, "anchored on truth, justice, love and freedom."
"Christ's peace is made by men and women who are truthful in their presence, just and loving in their communion and free in their service," said the cardinal, in a message released by his office.
"In Philippine politics, the need of the hour is for such men and women to run and be voted on, and whoever wins will then be the wise, capable and upright leader the Filipino people deserve and will support," he added.
Cardinal Vidal was scheduled to say mass at 5 a.m. Sunday in the Metropolitan Cebu Cathedral.
Earlier in the week, police and military officials assured Cardinal Vidal of protection for volunteers of the Cebu Citizens Maturation for People Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel) during the May 10 elections.
C-Cimpel is a citizens' arm accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which means it is authorized under election laws to get a copy of election returns.
Based on these election returns, C-Cimpel can conduct its own counting of ballots cast in Cebu City and the entire province.
Cardinal Vidal met with the PNP, the military's Central Command, Comelec 7 and C-Cimpel last Wednesday night and discussed measures for a peaceful and orderly election.
At meeting
Among those who attended were Comelec Regional Director Salud Aliganga and Legal Officer Marshall Rubia; Cebu City Election Officer Simaco Labata; Senior Supts. Ronald Roderos, Julio Agusto and Lani-O Nerez of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7; Senior Supt. Maximo Calimlim of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO); Cols. Arsenio Arungay and Nestor Añonuevo of Centcom; and C-Cimpel officials led by chairperson Marilu Chiongbian.
Roderos said they agreed that Chiongbian, in behalf of C-Cimpel, will submit to the PNP and Centcom their list of volunteers for accreditation.
C-Cimpel officials in every district in Cebu are encouraged to pay courtesy calls on the local police, the PNP Regional Mobile Group and military detachments.
"They may exchange telephone numbers and even discuss procedures for better coordination during the elections," Roderos said.
But before C-Cimpel officials pay courtesy calls, they are advised to go to PRO 7 or CPPO so they can be issued a letter they can then show local security officers.
Roderos said he was happy to hear Chiongbian report that since 1992 when C-Cimpel was organized, the police and the military have always been their protectors in their effort to monitor the elections.
Areas of concern
Roderos also urged C-Cimpel to verify any incident report before relaying it to the police and the military.
On the other hand, Roderos said all local police offices were also ordered to submit to the Comelec a daily peace and order report, for the Comelec 7 to determine areas where trouble might erupt during the elections.
The police, military, Comelec 7 and C-Cimpel will hold a final command conference on April 27.
As of March 5, several cities and towns in Cebu were identified as "areas of concern" although no local hotspots have been singled out for the elections.
For his Easter message, Cardinal Vidal called on the faithful to remember that Christ's gift of peace is not "a ready-made gift, packed, ribboned and sent."
"We still have to make peace that we may be called his sons and daughters." EOB
(April 11, 2004 issue)
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