Archbishop urges people to pray, forget street rallies

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is appealing to the faithful to go to church and pray instead of joining protests in the streets in view of the defeat of the impeachment complaint filed against President Arroyo the other day.

Vidal, through Cebu Archdiocese spokesperson Msgr. Achilles Dakay, has expressed sadness over the junking of the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo by the House of Representatives. However, the prelate is discouraging people from marching in the streets. He said the last option left to lawmakers is by forming a truth commission.

"The President will not escape the controversy because people will always seek for the truth. She should tell the people of her perception on what had transpired during her conversation with Garcillano," Vidal said.

The prelate again urged Mrs. Arroyo to stand up and speak out the truth to put an end to the criticisms hurled against her.

Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, chairman of the National Secretariat for Social Action-Justice and Peace, the social action arm of the CBCP also said that holding demonstrations would not achieve anything.

"The only solution to put an end to this is prayer," Gutierrez said.

He said the CBCP has not called for Arroyo’s resignation but gave her four options to choose from.

"These options are resignation, truth commission, impeachment and due process and these are not against the gospel. Anybody who chooses any of these options should be guided with the rule of law and moral values," he said.

Moreover, outgoing CBCP president Fernando Capalla denied reports that he is supporting the move of launching another people power revolution in the country.

But Capalla made it clear that though he is not supporting the move for another people power, he is not also against it because he recognizes the right to expression of every person.

"It’s one person’s right as long as it is carried out in a peaceful manner," Capalla said.

The permanent council of the CBCP, which is composed of 12 bishops, will have a meeting on Sept. 14.

However, Capalla said that it is not stated in their agenda whether they would discuss about the present political crisis the country is facing "but maybe the bishops will bring it up in the meeting," he said. — Freeman News Service