Nationwide Round-Up

CBCP takes ‘defensive’ stance in wake of Duterte’s attacks

By Dane Angelo M. Enerio
PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte’s recent remarks against the Catholic church has put the religious institution on a “defensive mode,” according to Father Jerome R. Secillano of the Catholic Bishops’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Mr. Duterte on Wednesday continued his tirades against the church after his administration drew flak for its tone towards the murders of three priests over a seven-month period, even threatening to release information about alleged illicit affairs involving men of the cloth.
Mr. Duterte claimed on May 21 that one of the murdered priests, Mark Anthony Ventura who was shot in Cagayan on April 29, may have been killed for his alleged illicit affairs with several women.
“We have to defend ourselves, these are below the belt accusations and many of them are not true,” Mr. Secillano said in an interview with One News’s The Chiefs.
“[W]e have to better ourselves to disprove each and every accusation that the President delivered,” he added.
The President has also called priests “hypocrites” and “corrupt” for criticizing him while asking favors from the government and collecting fees from their flock.
Mr. Secillano acknowledged that some of Mr. Duterte’s criticisms did hit home with the public, such as the church’s collection of fees for religious services from baptism to death.
He then cited that his diocese has removed fees for celebrating events like baptisms.
“May mga tao na tuwang-tuwa sa ginawa ng pangulo (Some people are very supportive of the President’s sentiments),” the CBCP official said, “Malaking bagay yun (It’s a big deal), and they can actually relate with what the President said about us.”
“Kaya sabi ko nga (That’s why I said), we need to challenge ourselves as a church, we need to better ourselves,” Mr. Secillano said.
Despite Mr. Duterte’s attacks, Mr. Secillano said the Catholic leadership is not about to go “lambasting the President also.”
“Do not expect us to be in the media hurling accusations also against the President. We’re not going to do that.”
The best way to respond, he said, is for the church to show good deeds.
DIALOGUE
On Thursday, Malacañang said it is open to a dialogue with the CBCP to amend the bickering between the President and the Catholic Church.
“If they want a dialogue, then the President and the Palace are always open,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in Filipino during a press briefing at the Palace.
He also stressed that the government has an “obligation” to investigate the murders of the priests and bring the culprits to justice.
Carlos H. Conde of the the Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division, for his part, said the most recent murders, including that of father Richmond Nilo on June 10, were “grim reminders of the vulnerability of the poor and those who speak out for their rights against the deadly extrajudicial violence that Philippine authorities are apparently unwilling or unable to either stop or provide… accountability for.” — with reports from Arjay L. Balinbin and Camille A. Aguinaldo

House minority threatens to bloc COMELEC budget if it taps Smartmatic for 2019 polls​

THE MINORITY bloc in the House of Representatives will move for the deferment of the electoral budget should the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) allow Smartmatic to facilitate the 2019 mid-term elections. Minority leader Danilo E. Suarez told reporters in a press briefing Thursday that should COMELEC tap Smartmatic, “we’ll move for the rejection” of the agency’s budget. Smartmatic was contracted by the poll body as the service provider for the automated polls in 2016. The Minority leader also proposed that government should start bidding for a new contract for the vote-counting during next year’s elections. “Number one, reform the election process; number two, get a new player, we have to get a new operator to handle the election process; number three, if the Commission will disagree, then we will move for the deferment of their budget,” he said. Deputy Minority leader Jose L. Atienza, Jr. echoed this and recommended that the Commission get a local provider. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

SolGen asks SC to uphold quo warranto decision vs Sereno

THE OFFICE of the Solicitor General (OSG) on Thursday urged the Supreme Court (SC) to uphold its May 11 decision that ousted Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno as chief justice, in response to the reversal plea submitted by the former top magistrate last May 30. According to Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida’s 75-page comment, Ms. Sereno’s motion for reconsideration was “based on the same arguments she had previously raised” and “had been resolved by the Court in its Decision dated May 11, 2018.” “[T]he Constitution does not exclude quo warranto as a remedy to oust an ineligible impeachable office,” he said. Mr. Calida also pointed out that Ms. Sereno “was afforded due process of law” despite her insistence that she was heard by an impartial court when six justices she tagged as having biases towards her refused to inhibit from the case. “Due process is satisfied when a person is notified of the charge against him and given an opportunity to explain or defend himself,” Mr. Calida asserted. Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio told reporters last week that the high court is aiming to decide on Ms. Sereno’s motion within the month. — Dane Angelo M. Enerio

Garin preparing charges vs PhilHealth officials

FORMER HEALTH secretary Janette L. Garin is preparing to sue some officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) over the alleged diversion of a P10.6-billion fund for senior citizens. In a press conference in Iloilo City on Wednesday, Ms. Garin said she is currently consulting her lawyer on the appropriate criminal and administrative charges against PhilHealth board member Dr. Celestina Ma. Jude de la Serna, PhilHealth Executive Vice-president and Chief Operating Officer Ruben John A. Basa, and former Health secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, among others. “My lawyer is looking into the possibility of filing a case against Dr. Dela Serna but I think those in PhilHealth have already filed a case against her and Secretary Ubial… I think seven cases were filed against them. But I might also file a case against John Basa because he knows what is the truth,” she said. Ms. Garin said the allegation that PhilHealth funds meant for senior citizens were diverted to the Department of Health for the establishment of rural health clinics in 2015 is “a big lie.” The supposed funds, she added, was non-existent in the first place. The allegation was only meant “to cover up the real mess and mismanagement behind the billions of PhilHealth loss,” Ms. Garin said. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

Barangay, youth officials with pending cases barred from taking office

THE COMMISSION on Elections (COMELEC) Thursday, June 14, made clear that winning candidates with pending cases for disqualification are not allowed to take office just yet. In a statement, COMELEC said, “winning candidates in the recently concluded May 14, 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections but with pending Petitions for Disqualification or Petitions for Cancellation of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) filed against them will not be allowed to hold office.” Among the grounds for disqualification are being over the age limit for SK officials and violating the limit on three consecutive terms. — Gillian M. Cortez