Bishops, Cabinet hold secret meeting

Malacañang officials and Catholic bishops secretly met last Monday to thresh out various issues raised against the Arroyo administration by the Church, including agrarian reform.

The meeting began at mid-morning and lasted until mid-afternoon, said Secretary to the Cabinet Ricardo Saludo, who was among the government officials present during the gathering.

At least 15 Cabinet officials and more than 10 members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) attended the lengthy meeting held somewhere in Manila.

Saludo briefed the entire Cabinet and President Arroyo during an assembly at the Palace yesterday on what transpired during Monday’s meeting with the CBCP members, hours before she left for a seven-day trip to Switzerland and Dubai.

He, however, refused to disclose other details of the meeting requested by the bishops, simply describing it as “fruitful.”

Among the officials present at the meeting were Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Presidential Management Staff chief Secretary Cerge Remonde, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission chairman Constancia de Guzman, Health Secretary Francisco Duque as well as officials from housing agencies and the Departments of Agrarian Reform, Interior and Local Government, and Public Works and Highways.

The meeting came amid efforts by Church leaders to help farmers reclaim a disputed 144-hectare property in Sumilao town in Bukidnon under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic nation and bishops have a strong influence on national affairs.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, however, hinted at what transpired during the meeting.

“We can’t give you many details but they discussed general items where the Church is concerned,” Ermita said. “They talked about the need to look into the poverty situation of our people, the need for greater food productivity so that we’ll have more food for our poor.”

He said the bishops also wanted the Palace to act faster on issues on agrarian reform.

Saludo said there was nothing unusual in the meeting as it was part of the “regular consultations” the administration conducts with various sectors.

“We did this (meeting) because the bishops from all over the country were here,” he said. “There were certainly remarks of appreciation from both sides on the work we both do.”

He said part of Mrs. Arroyo’s “governance is consulting with different groups.”