CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Amid the Marawi siege, the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao and violence plaguing the country, Archbishop Emeritus Paciano Aniceto called on the faithful to pray for peace and the protection of human lives.

Aniceto told SunStar Pampanga that “there is just too much disregard now for human life and rights of people.”

“There is so much torment going around. Too much disrespect for human lives. I urge the community to pray for our leaders, to pray for our country that peace and love may reign,” he said.

Aniceto clarified that the church, which he described as not only involving the bishops and clergy but the community as a whole, maintains its stand against Martial Law, the death penalty and extra-judicial killings.

“Martial law is prone to abuses. We can never discount the possibility of that. The same is true with the death penalty. Life is priceless. It is a gift given to us by the Lord. The church, as a community, is against these,” the pro-life prelate stressed.

He said that Filipinos, regardless of sect or belief, should come together to end violence in the country rooted in the evil of illegal drugs.

“Marami kasi sa leaders natin ngayon ay ‘malambot.’ Some are too slow at ang iba naman like the President ay masyadong mabilis mag-isip at kumilos. But what can we do? We voted for them. Again, let us invoke the power of prayer and the Good Shepherd and pray for them and pray for our country that all these torment around us come to an end,” concluded Aniceto. (JTD)