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Saturday, June 12, 2004
Cardinal Vidal won't ask for poll recount
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
CEBU CITY -- A report that he plans to ask for a recount of votes in the Visayas shocked Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal Friday.
"I have never said that. My God! Wow! What belongs to the government, belongs to the government," a surprised Vidal told representatives of the Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR), who went to see him to verify the report.
Rev. Rey Gelloagan of PCPR waited for Vidal, who said mass at the Catechists' Basic Formation Program in Barangay Mabolo Friday morning, and asked for the prelate's opinion on the presentation of witnesses by the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP).
While withholding their names and specific complaints, KNP said the witnesses will support claims of massive fraud in Cebu in President Arroyo's favor.
"Let them surface anything they feel the public should know. If the administration will try to stop that one, I will have to say something. (But) we will wait. Otherwise, we will only cause more confusion," Vidal told him.
"Let the government do its work. Let's do ours later. We can't do anything now. That's interfering," he added.
However, Vidal questioned KNP's "sincerity" in the presentation of masked witnesses and blew his top upon learning that the Tent City set up at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral grounds was used by representatives of the opposition party in a prayer vigil last week.
"It is for adoration, not for political purposes. Oh, my God! They should guard the Tent City that it will not be used for anything, only for prayer and adoration," he told reporters.
As to the masked witnesses, "Bakit ganun? I thought we're looking for transparency?"
"Are they (witnesses) afraid of the consequences? It (the presentation) will be reflected on them who sent them. If I have something true to say, why should I be afraid? They must be after their personal safety but it is for the welfare of the whole nation," he added.
Sought for comment, FPJ for Progressive Movement chairman Salvador "Buddy" Malto said Vidal need not to question their sincerity because their witnesses will be presented again, this time without masks, when they have executed affidavits to support the opposition's claim of election fraud.
He reiterated that safety was the reason they required their witnesses to have their faces covered during their presentation to the media last Thursday.
Malto said the administration has all the resources to intimidate or even have their witnesses killed.
He also washed his hands of any responsibility in the unauthorized used of the Tent City by Poe supporters, saying the group that went there last week belongs to the Christian Nationalist Union (CNU).
He admitted, though, that most CNU members and its president George Aglipa are also members of the FPJ for President Movement.
"Wala koy labot sa ilang gihimong vigil prayer didto, ila ra to nga initiative because they too wanted an honest result of the canvassing," he said in a mobile phone interview last night.
Malto said he only went to the cathedral to meet Aglipa and other CNU officials, and not to join them in their activity.
"It was a coincidence that when I got the cathedral members of the media were there and an ambush interview took place," he added.
Cardinal Vidal, meanwhile, denied he is willing to lead a campaign for national reconciliation and unity, which K4 media bureau chief Cerge Remonde earlier said was Vidal's promise to President Arroyo during her visit here last May 31.
"It all depends on my brother bishops, not on my own. I have no power except in Cebu. In the national scene, I cannot do that without the consent of the conference," he explained, referring to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, which formed the Coalition for Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections.
He said that any statement he makes is for the Cebu diocese only.
"I cannot say I'm willing. In fact, I cannot say that's my line. I don't want to preempt (the results of the elections)," said Vidal.
Presidential political spokesman Michael Defensor, who was in Cebu City yesterday, said it is "within the right of the cardinal" to make such statements but he hoped it will not cause any more problems.
"I hope the church will avoid taking a position. I have high respect for the cardinal. Let's just avoid violence and observe the (canvassing) process," said Defensor, who is confident a proclamation will be held by June 30.
He pointed out that the lay leaders had been active during the conduct of the elections.
But Gelloagan, for his part, said they have heard of cheating done in Mandaue City and in Cebu City for Arroyo's favor.
He said that in Mandaue City, they learned that P100 bills were allegedly distributed to voters during election day.
Gelloagan said they only wanted to get Vidal's opinions before meeting with PCPR leaders for possible action.
(June 12, 2004 issue)
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