INC lawmaker wants Church tagged as national security threat

A lawmaker belonging to the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) bloc in the House of Representatives threatened to wage war against the Catholic Church for its campaign against passage of the population bill.

Alagad party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta claimed before National Security Council (NSC) officials that the Catholic Church is becoming a threat to "national security" and that it is an "open secret" that the Church wants House Bill No. 3773 shelved.

"Don’t you consider the Church as a threat to national security?" Marcoleta asked NSC officials during a budget hearing yesterday.

"Earlier, you said poverty is a security threat. Reports have it that last June 7, a bishop called up the Palace to instruct Congress not to calendar the bill. Until now, it’s No. 31 in the agenda," he complained.

Deputy National Security Adviser retired general Victor Mayo replied they were "aware" of the Church’s lobby and position on the population issue, while he sought to distance himself from the seemingly contradictory positions taken by the two religious organizations.

Mayo told the appropriations panel headed by Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. that the NSC made a study of the population and development issue.

He said the NSC had "agreed" that there should be a measure for "population management."

"But I’m not sure if the Catholic Church influence was really described in the report or whether there was mention of the Church," Mayo told Marcoleta, who cited national census projections that the country’s population could balloon to 111 million by 2016.

The increasing population "is the mother of all SARS," Marcoleta added, comparing the population explosion issue to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak that struck Asian countries and the rest of the world in November 2003, during which Mayo was appointed as anti-SARS czar.

"Can the national security adviser also be appointed as population czar?" he asked.

Marcoleta warned NSC officials that the issue of runaway population would be deadlier than terrorism.

He went on to propose the inclusion of priests in the terror list who have supported calls for President Arroyo’s resignation, singling out "running priest" Fr. Robert Reyes.

"I believe they (the priests) have not crossed the line. They are not fomenting violence. But what we are running after are those who joined the NPA (New People’s Army) and who now want a violent overthrow of the government," Mayo told congressmen.

During the hearing, the NSC official told lawmakers they would consider the NPA rebels who staged the ambush of nine soldiers in Iloilo last Saturday as terrorists.

Mayo however made assurances that "our troops can contain this" and deal with the threats.