THE HOLY WEEK OF HYPOCRITES

 

HYPOCRITES abound this season of the year. 

We hear of bishops allowing priests to officiate mass in Malacañang but at the same time prohibiting and/or discouraging these same priests from accepting invitations from groups opposed to the President. 

We hear of bishops saying it is not their “business” to call for President Arroyo’s resignation, yet, in a not-so-distant past, they were instrumental in ousting two previous administrations.  They did not invoke their misplaced concept of “separation of Church and State” then but they are unsurprisingly invoking it now. 

We hear of other Christian leaders sing songs of praise and glory to the Almighty almost on a daily basis, but their defeaning silence on the issues of the day reveal who they really are.

We see throngs of people go to Church and pray at this time of the year, but after brief moments of religious infatuation, they return to their old selves at the first crack of dawn of Monday after Easter Sunday — as gossipers, mudslingers, opportunists, adulterers, perverts and the like. 

We see politicians craving for seats in the front row of every televised mass in order to be seen by their constituents as God-fearing public servants. 

We hear of rich people donate large sums of money to the Church in the hope of mitigating their sins and to show-off their calculated generosity to the public. 

And lastly, every year, we have a President who gives a routinary Lenten Message of hope, peace, sacrifice and prayer.  Well, I’m not at all surprised.  Even the Devil can quote the Bible. 

I don’t want to be a hypocrite.   And since I don’t want to, I will just stay at home and watch Barney with my one-year old kid.  Make love to my wife.  Eat.  Rest.  Surf the net.  And of course pray where no one else will see and hear me. 

(picture lifted from time.com)  

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE

Yesterday, the CBCP issued another Pastoral Statement, the pertinent portion on the aspect of impeachment reads as follows:

24. Impeachment. We wish to make the CBCP position clear and unambiguous on the present impeachment plans:

24.1. We are undoubtedly for the search for truth. Therefore, in all sincerity we respect the position of individuals or groups that wish to continue using the impeachment process to arrive at the truth.

24.2. But as Bishops reflecting and acting together as a body in plenary assembly, in the light of previous circumstances, we are not inclined at the present moment to favor the impeachment process as the means for establishing the truth. For unless the process and its rules as well as the mindsets of all participating parties, pro and con, are guided by no other motive than genuine concern for the common good, impeachment will once again serve as an unproductive political exercise, dismaying every citizen, and deepening the citizen’s negative perception of politicians, left, right and center.

For the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines,
Most Rev. Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D.President, CBCP

I’m literally fed up with CBCP’s neither here nor there stance in dealing with this sickening political crisis. If they are really God’s shepherds as they profess to be, then they should at least have a clear political stand on the issues hounding Mrs. Arroyo, most notably on the question of legitimacy. I cannot understand why they still continue to search for the truth when the truth is right before their very eyes! If ordinary people (whose only knowledge about God is how to pray the Hail Mary) can easily discern that cheating is immoral per se, I cannot understand why they cannot, even from a moral standpoint, categorically declare that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cheated in the last elections. While it was so easy for the Catholic heirarchy to condemn Joseph Estrada back then, it is very difficult for them to do the same thing to GMA now.

In relation to the Pastoral Statement above, the Bishops seemed to have developed amnesia in a relatively short span of time. Whereas before, they said that the filing of an impeachment complaint is not against the Gospel, that a just political order is best promoted by a preference for constitutional processes and that resolving the crisis has to be within the framework of the Constitution and the laws of the land so as to avoid social chaos, they now abhor the impeachment process as if it is contaminated with an evil disease. In the first place, impeachment under the Constitution was never intended as a venue for arriving at the truth as some would like to project. It is, first and foremost, a political mechanism for removing a President who is no longer fit to continue serving the mandate given him by the electorate. In the course of such proceedings, the truth may or may not come out. The exercise merely involves the question of whether or not a President still deserves the trust of two-thirds of all the members of the Senate. Besides, why would you entrust the quest for truth on 24 Senators who may have already pre-judged the case? Not even the Bishops can claim to know the absolute and unadulterated truth!

What the CBCP does not realize is that impeachment may be the only constitutional remedy left for removing an allegedly disgraced Presidency. Worse, they failed to recognize that it was Mrs. Arroyo herself who contributed much to the erosion of Congress’ credibility in its handling of last year’s impeachment. One doesn’t have to be a Bishop to know the real score.

What’s your alternative then, my dear Bishops, if you say that impeaching Mrs. Arroyo will only be an unproductive political exercise?

RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY

We are a nation of Catholics. Practically every town and barangay has a church or kapilya where people hear mass, pray the rosary together or participate in religious ceremonies every now and then. Catholicism was sort of imposed on us when we were baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit without our knowledge and consent. Tradition simply enjoins us to follow the rituals and practices that our forefathers have learned from Spanish friars who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi when they discovered and conquered the Philippines four centuries ago.

But why is it that despite our protestations of Christianity, we seem to be enmeshed in dishonesty, crab mentality, hatred, apathy, indifference, inaction and subservience? Certainly, Jesus Christ never taught us these things. Neither did he intend to bring about chaos and disorder in such a young country like the Philippines. We claim to be a deeply religious lot, yet our outward manifestations reveal the exact opposite. We pride ourselves as the only predominantly Christian nation in Southeast Asia but we shrink out of embarrassment for having gained the distinction as one of the most corrupt countries in the world!

Don’t get me wrong. I am Catholic too. I was not only “born” Catholic. I, like many of the corrupt politicians we now have, was raised, schooled and brought up as a Catholic. So why am I questioning Catholicism as if it was the cause of all these cultural, social and even political mess? Nope, I am not really questioning Catholicism as a doctrine. I am only questioning how it is practiced in the Philippines with the acquiescence of the local Catholic heirarchy. For example, while we hear priests explain that they haven’t authorized the practice of imitating the passion and crucifixion of Jesus Christ during Holy Week, their token disapproval stops right there. I have yet to hear them clarify to the faithful that being nailed to a makeshift cross will not erase their sins nor guarantee salvation in the afterlife. Unfortunately, this ritual has transformed into a religious spectacle, nourishing not the spirit but the pockets of businessmen who take advantage of this stupidity by making it as a lucrative tourist attraction.

Likewise, every year during Holy Week, I never fail to notice our honorable politicians, perhaps by miracle, suddenly sound like innocent public servants asking the Lord (or is it the jueteng lord?) for wisdom and guidance in the conduct of their day to day affairs. We always see them on TV either volunteering as lay ministers or talking about Christ’s message of love and repentance — as if we are unaware how ruthless and corrupt they have become or how ruthless and corrupt they will continue to be once the Holy Week ends. I am not at all surprised of this phenomenon. This is the time of the year when even the devil can quote the Bible.

The same holds true for some Filipinos. All year long they preoccupy themselves with gossiping, mudslinging and backbiting their enemies, friends, neighbors and even relatives. When Holy Week comes, you see them lining up in churches and in other sacred spots throughout the archipelago holding the rosary in one hand while the other hand is busy texting his/her lover that they will meet somewhere so they could continue praying the rosary together in the cover of darkness. So much for spending time with GOD during Holy Week! Again, don’t get me wrong. I am not condemning those who exert effort to repent and mend their ways. We are all sinners in His eyes. What I am aghast about is this never ending sight of hypocrites using religious rituals to make it appear that they are in constant communication with GOD.

As a parting shot, I leave you with the lyrics of a popular song entitled Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo from Yano, a popular folk/punk/rock band in the 90’s known for its political and social undertones. The lyrics with its catchy music, I believe, best describes the duplicity pervading in the attitude of some people with respect to their religion.

Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo

kaharap ko sa dyip ang isang ale
nagrorosaryo mata niya’y nakapikit
pumara sa may kumbento
sa babaan lang po sabi ng tsuper kase me naghuhuli
mura pa rin nang mura ang ale!

banal na aso, santong kabayo
natatawa ako hi hi hi hi
banal na aso, santong kabayo
natatawa ako hi hi hi hi
sa ‘yo!

nangangaral sa kalye ang isang lalake
hiningan ng pera ng batang pulubi
pasensya na para daw sa templo
pangkain lang po sabi ng paslit
talagang di ba pupwede?
lumipat ng pwesto ang lalake!

anuman ang iyong ginagawa sa iyong kapatid
ay siya ring ginagawa mo sa akin…

When will this hypocrisy end? Or will it ever end?

THE CBCP PASTORAL STATEMENT

RENEWING OUR PUBLIC LIFE THROUGH MORAL VALUES

A Pastoral Statement

Beloved People of God:

We, your bishops, have collectively discerned in the light of the Gospel what our mass media, our political leaders and, above all, you parishioners in our various dioceses have been telling us. What clearly emerges is the continued and urgent need for renewal in the public life of our country.

I. OUR PASTORAL SITUATION: WHAT OUR PEOPLE ARE SAYING

We have all observed the failure of political processes to make public servants accountable for wrongdoings. What we have seen instead are acts of evasion and obstruction of the truth, as in the case of the wiretapping and Garcillano tapes controversy. While we acknowledge that patriotic and sincere Filipinos have heeded our call in July 2005 for accountability in public office and sought means for the truth to emerge, we also witness those who seem to use the search for truth as a means of furthering their political ambitions. Pressure is thus brought on the ordinary citizen to take sides on the basis of speculation, whether this be with regard to destabilizing alliances, armed insurgency, or a brewing coup d’ etat. Have we become a nation of rumors and untruths?

As a result of all this, there seems to be a paralyzing gridlock in the political sphere, as partisan interests prevail over the demands of the common good. Enough of this destructive politics, we hear our people declare. In this situation of widespread confusion, it is not surprising that apathy and cynicism with regard to politics have taken hold of the minds and hearts of many Filipinos. Tragically, many Filipinos have lost trust in political leaders from left, right, and center, and worse still, in the political institutions themselves which are perceived by many to be corrupted. Among an increasing number of our people, there is a sense of hopelessness about our country and the possibility of genuine reform.

While the economy at the macro-level seems to be moving along, the benefits are not sufficiently shared by the poor. What the people in our dioceses are experiencing and saying informs us that their most immediate and urgent priority is their daily struggle to earn a livelihood. Poverty remains the heaviest burden our people bear. They wonder if the political priorities that preoccupy our leaders are merely Manila-magnified problems foisted upon those in the provinces. They are seriously concerned that in 2006 we shall be repeating the same kind of chaotic politics that we all suffered in 2005.

II. THE ROOT OF THE CRISIS: EROSION OF MORAL VALUES

As bishops, we believe that at the bottom of our political chaos is a crisis of moral values, a crisis of truth and justice, of unity and solidarity for the sake of the common good and genuine peace. Truth has become a victim of political partisanship as well as of transactional politics. Moral accountability and justice for crimes, such as the killings of journalists and labor leaders, are yet to be realized.

Because of this crisis of values in our public life, the common good and the plight of the poor are being ignored. We witness the anguish of poor farmers affected by rising prices of farm inputs and decreasing prices for their products. Indigenous people, farmers and fishermen in our dioceses are filled with anxiety about the negative effects of mining, commercial logging, illegal quarrying and fishing, and the continual threat of displacement from one’s ancestral lands. More regrettable is the common knowledge that many of our politicians are behind such ventures that disregard the common good.

As Bishops, we realize that the root cause of our debilitating situation is the erosion of moral values. Its external manifestations are deceit and dishonesty, corruption, manipulation and a deadening preoccupation with narrow political interests, perceived in practically all branches and at all levels of government. Pope Benedict XVI cites St. Augustine’s observation that a State which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves. (Deus Caritas Est, 2

But we also recognize that our situation is not one of utter darkness. We are encouraged and inspired to see so many good and decent Filipinos, of different faith traditions, working selflessly and sincerely to build up our nation. We see public servants struggling for integrity and the authentic reform of the corrupted institutions they are part of. We acknowledge groups of dedicated laity, religious and clergy, NGOs and various associations, including police and military personnel, giving of themselves to improve the governance, education, health, housing, livelihood and environmental conditions of our people. These people, united by a vision of heroic citizenship, are reasons for hope, even in the midst of the political crisis we find ourselves in.

III. WHAT WE NEED TO DO

The mission of the Church includes the renewal of the social order and public life through the teaching and inculcation of the values of the Gospel. Because of the moral dimensions of our political and economic life, The Church has something to say about specific human situations, individual and communal, national and international. (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 521) Any authentic search for peace, the Holy Father stresses, must begin with the realization that the problem of truth and untruth is the concern of every man and woman. (In Truth, Peace, no. 5) Let us all therefore address the urgent issues facing our country from this moral standpoint:

We recommend that the search for truth be relentlessly pursued through structures and processes mandated by law and our Constitution, such as the Ombudsman, the Commission on Human Rights, the Sandiganbayan, and Congress itself as well as other citizens’ groups. This requires that such bodies be led and run by credible people, persons of integrity and probity.

Confidence and trust in our political processes have to be restored. As a first step we strongly urge our political leaders to undertake electoral reforms posthaste. The Commission on Elections has to be transformed into a competent and reliable body beyond reproach. The call for resignation or even prosecution of a number of the Commissioners should not be lightly brushed aside. The electoral process, including counting of votes, needs to be reformed and modernized before the next elections.

Elections in 2007 should not be cancelled. The Church recognizes that in a democracy power emanates from the people, i.e., that the subject of political authority is the people considered in its entirety . . . This people transfers the exercise of sovereignty to those whom it freely elects . . . but it preserves the prerogative . . . [of] evaluating those charged with governing, and replacing them when they do not fulfill their functions satisfactorily. (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 395)

While we agree that certain aspects of our Constitution may need amendments and revisions, we do not support hasty efforts to change this fundamental law of the land without the widespread discussion and participation that such changes require. We continue to believe, as we did in our Statement on Charter Change in 2003, that changing the Constitution involving major shifts in the form of government, requires widespread participation, total transparency, and relative serenity that allows for national discussion and debate. This is best done through a Constitutional Convention. The reasons for constitutional change must be based on the common good rather than on self-serving interests or the interests of political dynasties.

We reiterate our stand in our July 2005 statement that we do not condone any move resorting to violence or counter-constitutional means in resolving our present crisis. These measures would only bring about new forms of injustice, more hardships, and greater harm in the future.

We are aware that the renewal of the Philippine public life will require the transformation of cultural values and structures, and will require more intensive efforts on the part of the Church. We therefore commit ourselves to the following:

To adopt a more systematic program of promoting the moral values that are indicated in seven (of the nine) pastoral priorities drawn up at the 2001 National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal. These are: integral faith formation; empowerment of the laity towards social transformation; the active presence and participation of the poor in the Church and in society; the family as the focal point of evangelization; the building and strengthening of participatory communities that make up the parish; integral renewal of the clergy and religious; and our journeying with the youth.

To continue the formation of Basic Ecclesial Communities and other faith-communities at the grassroots, towards a deeper spirituality of heroic Christian citizenship, and towards encouraging the laudable efforts of these communities at nation-building, such as the monitoring of the IRA, bidding of public works projects, etc.

To promote a spirituality of public service, integrity and stewardship among public servants and citizens’ groups alike. These forms of social spirituality should counteract the persistent evils of gambling, drug-pushing, usury, destruction of our environment, and corruption in public office.

To bring together various concerned citizens’ groups that are working for good governance in order to encourage better collaboration among them in the mobilization of the governed to check graft and corruption and to work for better public services.

To declare this year 2006 as a Social Concerns Year under the auspices of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Social Teachings of the Church, as summarized in the recently-printed Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, may be discussed, internalized, and acted upon in all our dioceses, parishes and Catholic schools.

To accompany our efforts with prayer and penance and a deep trust in the transformative power of God’s grace in the lives of individuals as well as of societies. Restore us to Thee, O Lord, that we may be restored. (Lam 5:21)

CONCLUSION

In all we have been saying here, we, your Bishops, are seeking to be faithful to the Lord’s command of love, and his call to his followers to care for all peoples, especially those whom he sees as the least of my brothers and sisters (Mt. 25, 40). It is this Gospel mandate we wish to see making a quantitative difference in our efforts at healing and renewing our flawed political culture and corrupted public life. In doing this, we show our solidarity with the poor who suffer most from the present state of public life and politics.

May the love of God in Christ, poured out upon all of us in the Holy Spirit, give us the courage and hope to renew our public life and to build up a truly moral society. And may Mary become our guide and model in this renewed pilgrimage towards Truth, Justice, Freedom and Love, the pillars of genuine peace in our Land.

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines:

+ANGEL N. LAGDAMEO, D.D.
Archbishop of Jaro
President, CBCP
29 January 2006

GUIDELINES IN A TIME OF CRISIS

Office of the Provincial
Philippine Province
Society of Jesus

TO THE WHOLE PROVINCE

Re: Endorsement of GUIDELINES IN A TIME OF CRISIS to Jesuits and Jesuit Institutions of the Philippine Province

With this letter, I endorse to all Jesuits, Jesuit communities and Jesuit apostolic institutions of the Philippine Province, the attached Guidelines in a Time of Confusion and Crisis, produced by our Province Commission on the Social Apostolate. These Guidelines, produced after much discussion and consultation, are an attempt to provide Christian moral reflection on our present national situation of political crisis and confusion.

I ask that these Guidelines be read, reflected, and prayed upon, and made the subject of serious discernment, towards action, by individuals, communities, and institutions. They may be shared with others who are seeking direction and guidance in our troubled times.

I know that not many will agree with what is presented here: some will judge that the Guidelines go “too far;” others will doubtless think that they do not go “far enough.” For my part, I personally believe that these Guidelines offer sound directions to help us “read” our present situation and to orient us in our common search for authentic solutions to the grave problems of our country today. Nonetheless, these Guidelines are not presented as positions that all are compelled to accept and adhere to. If some, in conscience, differ with the positions taken here, let that dissent be presented with civility and intelligence, as input for the continuing task of communal discernment towards what will serve the true good of our country.

Let us be united in prayer and deep concern for our country and our people. May the Lord show us the way toward the truth, freedom and justice that our people yearn for. May God bless us with courage and hope.

Fraternally in our Lord,

DANIEL PATRICK L. HUANG, S.J.
(sgd.)Provincial

–oOo–

SOME GUIDELINES IN A TIME OF CONFUSION AND CRISIS for Jesuits and Jesuit Institutions of the Philippine Province

1. The struggle to bring out the truth must go on. The freedom to advocate this struggle must be upheld. The President has not sufficiently rendered an account to the people where serious charges have been raised against her, and efforts to hide the facts only confirm the suspicions of many. To dismiss the concern for truth in the name of stability is to condone the culture of impunity, by which those in power have long been able to commit crimes unpunished, and our people have become cynical – accepting corruption and deceit as normal in our public life.

2. Those who claim that the “rule of law” was triumphant in the recent impeachment proceedings confuse proceduralism with law. While it is true that the procedures of law were fulfilled, the spirit of the law was subverted. Evidence was not allowed to emerge.

3. Peaceful and legal means that protect and strengthen our democratic institutions must be used in the continued search to bring out the truth. In this same spirit, the legislature, especially the Senate, must not be remiss in its oversight functions, to ensure the system of checks and balances set in place by the Constitution. Likewise, care should be taken that concrete actions do not support or strengthen groups with covert anti-democratic, adventurist, or power-grabbing agenda.

4. We respect the decision of those, who, in conscience, have reached a judgment that the President should not remain in office. Part of this process is the moral obligation to seriously consider alternatives that will be truly for the good of the country, and not abet the struggle for power among elite and corrupt politicians.

5. The search for the truth must include a search into the deeper truth of Philippine political life, the factors which make the present crisis just one of a series of political crises that hinder the country’s development. It is necessary to listen to, reflect seriously on, and address the concerns of a large majority of people who seem apathetic or whose dissatisfaction does not seem to translate into political action. Some, for example, have lost trust in all politicians, of whatever camp. Others, especially those in the provinces, feel excluded by and resentful of what they perceive to be Manila deciding for the country again. Efforts must be made to address this disillusionment and sense of exclusion, so that our people might be motivated to participate more vigorously in our country’s political life.

6. If many of our people seem to be uninvolved or uninterested, it is primarily because of an overriding concern for economic survival during very hard times. The real and urgent concerns of the poor should be given highest priority amidst all efforts to search for truth. Indeed, the search for the truth is integrally linked to the fate of the poor. Corruption and dishonesty have made the lot of the poor worse.

7. Programs and initiatives from both government and the private sector to address the urgent needs of the poor, in fields such as education, health, housing, livelihood, and the like, should continue to be supported, and indeed intensified. This is especially urgent in view of the looming international oil crisis.

8. While there may be reasons to consider amending the constitution for the sake of greater responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of our people, charter change as a diversionary tactic in times of political conflict, or as a means of perpetuating elite democracy, should be rejected. Thus, the rush to change the Constitution, especially through a Constituent Assembly, should be resisted. Furthermore, while major constitutional changes such as parliamentarism and federalism may seem to have merit, their concrete realization and implications should be carefully studied and discussed, rather than prematurely decided upon.

9. There may be no clear solutions or exit strategies to our present state. But our past history, especially during the Martial Law years, reminds us that we can continue being vigilant and work for truth and justice even when the alternatives are not clear. Thus, the following courses of action should be pursued:

a. Our educational institutions, parishes and other institutions should become centers for conscientization. Discernment groups must be organized, to combat apathy, to heighten awareness and involvement, and to prepare for future action. We echo the call of the CBCP in their statement of 10 July 2005, to “urge our people in our parish and religious communities, our religious organizations and movements, our Basic Ecclesial Communities to come and pray together, reason, decide and act together always to the end the will of God prevail in the political order.”

b. Conscientization that leads to organizing and reorganizing base groups and forming community or sectoral organizations should be given priority. Such groups can also be invited to deal with local problems, to engage local government, and to do network-building with other sympathetic groups.

c. These and other groups should be mobilized towards vigilance, monitoring:
· first, the continued effectiveness of government programs for the poor;
· secondly, appointment to public offices made by the President;
· third, acts of apparent retribution against those who are critical of the government and the President;
· fourth, the actual use of pork barrel by legislators and their possible abuse of it for themselves;
· fifth, the preparations for forthcoming electoral exercises, through advocacy for automation, and the continuing task of voters’ education;
· sixth, the use of funds that will be made available in the event of a Peace Agreement in Mindanao.

d. Deeper study and reflection on institutional alternatives (such as parliamentarism, federalism, etc.) should be conducted at various levels, from university think-tanks to grass-roots groups.

SOCIETY OF JESUS, PHILIPPINE PROVINCE
COMMISSION ON THE SOCIAL APOTOLATE

Albert E. Alejo, S.J.
Miguel B. Lambino, S.J.
Jose Cecilio J. Magadia, S.J.
Antonio F. Moreno, S.J.
Karel S. San Juan, S.J.
Primitivo E. Viray, S.J.
Peter W. Walpole, S.J.
Roberto C. Yap, S.J.

DOUBLE STANDARD

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must have heaved a sigh of relief when the Catholic bishops announced that they are not calling for her resignation. Hello, Garci? Did I hear it right? Yes. The carefully worded pastoral letter took them two days to formulate, yet the same failed the expectations of many who would have wanted a more definitive stand on the crisis hounding the Arroyo presidency. This practically means that the bishops are settling for the status quo despite mounting calls from various sectors of society for Ate Glo to resign.

The President and her apologists were then quick to take advantage of the seemingly favorable situation. It gave them the impetus to hold on to power because now, both the church and the military are taking a backseat in the resolution of this political impasse. If Gloria continues to be stubborn, the voices of legitimate dissent will never stop at finding ways to unseat her. And the longer this deadlock continues, the more precarious it will be for our country both politically and economically.

The bishops say that it is not their business to intrude into politics because their duty is only to set moral standards as set forth in the Gospels. Who asked them to do so in the first place?

Their decision however comes as no surprise. Historically, the Catholic Church has always been reactionary. Their inaction, indifference and subservience contributed much to the suffering and oppression of the Filipino people in the 333 years of Spanish rule. It even took Jaime Cardinal Sin 20 years before he could boldly say that Marcos had to go. But wait. There seems to be a double standard here. Did they not intrude into politics when they called on the faithful to flock to EDSA in 1986 and 2001?

Aren’t the conversations on the “Garci” tapes enough to convince the bishops that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo committed the gravest immoral act by betraying the public trust? Choosing to stay in the middle at a time when the country needs their so-called moral guidance is, to me, the height of religious hypocrisy. They simply refuse to see even when their eyes have already been opened.

In effect, these bishops have become the mouthpiece of the government, echoing the same line that Gloria uses to justify her continued stay in office. Their pronouncements only added to the confusion of an already misinformed public. To argue that impeachment is the only legal option available is to say that the chances of removing a bogus president from power are close to nil.

The defective impeachment complaint filed in Congress and endorsed no less by an administration congressman was designed to preempt the move of the opposition to file a real and well-prepared one. Moreover, giving GMA more time to discern and reflect will only delay her inevitable downfall. The bishops must have been in a time warp. Gloria has long decided to stick it out with the presidency no matter what the cost.

Let me remind the bishops that resignation is as constitutional as impeachment. It may even be the most patriotic act a disgraced president who has lost whatever remaining credibility could do under the circumstances. Of course, she cannot be forced to resign. But we who are fed up with her cannot likewise be forced not to call for her ouster.

Bishops, it’s time to let her go.