Tag war heats up: Diocese hit with ‘Team Tatay’ tag; 30 churches mount more Team Patay tarps

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Diocese of Bacolod is now under attack with “Team Tatay” tagline, circulated via text messages reportedly coming from the Buklod ng Malayang Pilipino that listed the names of five priests who had allegedly sired children.

The Team Tatay tag, apparently to counter the Diocese’s “Team Patay-Team Buhay” tags on senatorial candidates, was also posted on several Facebook accounts on the same day the “Team Damaso ang Tunay Na Patay” poster came out.

The poster carried the names of Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra, an archbishop, five bishops and a priest. “Why are they not being disciplined by Bishop Navarra?” a portion of the message in Hiligaynon asked.

Navarra reacted by calling these attacks “very un-Christian,” and dismissed it as part of a smear campaign against the Bacolod Diocese for its strong opposition against the Reproductive Health (RH) Law.

Navarra said some priests of the Bacolod Diocese, who have had indiscretions in the past, have shown that they were repentant, and have since reformed their ways.

Diocese vicar general, Msgr. Louie Galbines, said: “It’s no longer the issue but a personal attack,” adding that he felt sad because people can no longer distinguish the issue from personal weaknesses. The church has its way of dealing with its subjects and needs to face this reality.

For his part, Fr. Felix Pasquin, rector of the San Sebastian Cathedral where the Team Patay/Team Buhay tarps have been put up, said, “Let’s not divert the issue from the crusade of the protection of life. We wish to assure our detractors that our hearts go out to them with Christian love.”

Pasquin added: “Let’s keep the discussion of the RH on a high level for the benefit of our people and for God’s glory.”

Meanwhile, at least 30 churches of the Diocese of Bacolod have mounted more “Team Patay” tarpaulins in their respective premises, although smaller in size and bearing no names of lawmakers who voted in favor of the RH Law.

In the façade of Sacred Heart Church and Seminary on Lizares St. states “Diocese of Bacolod Pro-life Forever, Team Patay Never.” The tarpaulin was printed over a yellow background as the Church’s color.

Galbines said the same tarpaulins were initially posted in about 30 parishes, but by the end of the week, these will be seen in more than 60 churches of the Diocese.

Some Catholic churches in Bacolod, however, have not posted the “Pro-Life Forever, Team Patay Never” tarpaulin, and two other dioceses, Kabankalan and San Carlos, said they are supporting the anti-RH Law campaign but they are not putting up “Team Patay- Team Buhay” tarps in their churches.

The “Team Patay-Team Buhay” tarp campaign sparked a nationwide controversy after a giant version of the poster, listing the names of senatorial candidates and party-list groups who either opposed or supported the RH Law, was put up on the façade of the San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod.

The tarpaulin, which reportedly measures 6 feet by 10 feet according to Comelec Bacolod, violates the rules on the size of campaign materials, prompting city election registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia to order Navarra to re-size the material within three days.

When the Church did not comply, Comelec Law Department director Esmeralda Ladra wrote to Navarra on Feb. 27 ordering him to remove the tarpaulin or face election offense charges.

On March 1, the Diocese of Bacolod had sought a temporary restraining order directly from the Supreme Court to stop the Comelec from enforcing its order.

In his petition, Navarra argued that the Comelec order and notices were violations of the right of the Diocese to freedom of religion, of the principles of the separation of the Church and the State, and of freedom of expression.

On March 5, the High Tribunal granted the Diocese’s petition, and gave the Comelec 10 days to comment on the matter. The SC set March 19 the date of the oral argument on the case.  (FREEMAN)