CHURCH LEADER. Bishop Leonardo
Medroso, is always looked up to as the credible spokesman
of the church in this diocese. Photo shows the bishop
during his installation last December as bishop of the
Diocese of Tagbilaran. |
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The
people needs an alternative to run against traditional
politicians, but, it should not be the priests, stressed
Bishop Leonardo Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran
yesterday.
He
issued the statement in reaction to the election of
Fr. Ed Panlilio who got elected as the new governor
of Pampanga after he bested two strong political figures.
Medroso
said that the victory of Fr. Panlilio gives the signal
that "people are hungry for alternative candidates
whose charisma beats even the most popular and powerful
politician."
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Panlilio's
victory also shows that there is "hope in society"
since the electorate voted him instead of the Lilia Pineda
and re-electionist Gov. Mark Lapid.
Gov.-elect
Panlilio won over Pineda by 1,147 votes in the complete and
official tally of the provincial board of canvassers. Panlilio,
an independent bet, got a total of 219,706 votes against Pineda's
218,559. Re-electionist Gov. Lapid landed poor third.
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IThe
church official said that this is a challenge to lay
people who are gifted with leadership traits to come
out and be counted to fight against traditional politicians.
The
victory of Panlilio is an eye opener that if people
will perceive one to be dedicated and sincere in his
commitment to serve, then he can win in an election.
However,
the bishop said that the church also considers Fr. Panlilio's
victory as a loss to the church knowing that the priest
was a good asset in the vineyard of the Lord considering
his 20 years of value formation to become a priest.
Thus "we consider it a loss," the bishop stressed.
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But,
sharing Fr. Panlilio to the service of humanity could also
be "an exception since it seems he came in a situation
of emergency when people in Pampanga needs a strong alternative
candidate."
Medroso
said that at the end of the day "priests should not become
the solutions to the political concerns in the country."
The
statement of the church official came when interviewed by
dyRD's top rated "Inyong Alagad" program on the
bishop's comments regarding massive vote buying which marred
the elections here.
He
said that he was not at all pleased to hear the report from
his priests on the rampant vote buying. However, he said that
if the electorate were given the money, they were still given
the options to decide on who to vote. The power of influence
is not as worse as when the electorate are intimated, Medoroso
further stated.
He
thanked sectors for keeping a peaceful election in the province
despite some reports on the presence of armed goons who "terrorized"
some voters in the hinterland barangays.
The
church official said he was elated to hear that the environment
in the province during the election was not of intimidation
and violence as in some provinces in the country. He said
that minor complaints are normal during elections as long
as no bloodshed will mar the conduct of the political exercise.
Bishop
Medroso, himself, came up with an hourly appeal aired on local
radio stations of the Catholic Media Network (CMN) five days
before election day. He reminded the electorate on the sanctity
of the ballots, thus, it should not be desecrated. He asked
all sectors to remain fair and honest until election day in
order for the "voice of the people to surface after election
day."
His
hourly messages aired in English and Cebuano over stations
dyRD, dyZD and Kiss-FM, CMN satellite stations in the province,
in some way influence the people to do their share for the
electoral process to be clean and honest.
While,
there was indeed no bloodshed in the last election in the
province, Boholanos were aware of the massive vote buying
in all barangays which made majority of the candidates to
win, even those who are less qualified.
THANKING
VARIOUS SECTORS
Bishop
Medroso thanked the different sectors for making the elections
in the province generally peaceful.
He
said the "power of prayer" sealed the electorate
and the candidates and supporters from any untoward incident.
He
thanked the politicians for stressing to their supporters
the need to remain clam and peaceful, and to the electorate
as well, for not becoming overly emotional in expressing their
support to their bets.
Most
especially, the bishop thanked the volunteers of NAMFREL under
Fr. Efren Bongay, NAMFREL prov'l chairman, while he repeatedly
thanked the media in the province for being an ally of the
church in its call for a clean election.
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