CBCP President Archbishop Socrates Villegas. INQUIRER FILE
THE CATHOLIC Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is not endorsing any candidate for the May 2016 polls, its top official reiterated Tuesday.
CBCP president Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas also clarified that Sen. Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr. merely asked for prayers and not for his endorsement when the latter visited him over the weekend.
鈥淗e just asked for prayers,鈥� Villegas told reporters when asked about the visit. 鈥淚 answered him I will pray for him.鈥�
Told that other people might see it as blessing the vice presidential candidate with an endorsement, Villegas said: 鈥�(They should) ignore their wrong thoughts.鈥�
The CBCP earlier maintained that the Catholic Church would never endorse a candidate, but added that the laity, with the help of dioceses, should do their part in educating voters.
Villegas said voters should heed their conscience and Church teachings in electing the country鈥檚 next leaders.
鈥淎s the political engine is revved for the presidential elections, we urge our lay persons to be actively engaged in the apostolate of evangelizing the political order,鈥� Villegas said in a pastoral letter.
鈥淲hile the CBCP and the Catholic Church in the Philippines will never endorse a particular candidate or a particular party, leaving the consciences of voters sovereign in this respect, in keeping with long-accepted moral teachings of the Church, we commend efforts such as these to arrive at a collective discernment on the basis of Catholic standards and principles, that are not necessarily sectarian,鈥� he added.
But despite non-endorsement of candidates, the Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop said the Church could contribute to political education by conducting debates and public fora.
鈥淲e encourage debate among the candidates, and we hope that our dioceses will organize public fora and debates that allow the public to familiarize themselves with the positions, platforms, plans, beliefs and convictions of our candidates,鈥� Villegas said, noting that these gatherings should be 鈥減ermeated by a genuine sense of fairness, consecration to the truth and charity.鈥�
In a statement, Marcos said the meeting with Villegas, which was held at the Arzobizpado Lingayen-Dagupan, happened last Saturday during the fifth day of his 鈥淯nity Caravan鈥� in northern Luzon and lasted for 30 minutes.
But Marcos said they did not discussed politics. 鈥淲e talked about everything, we talked about my family, we didn鈥檛 talk about politics,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e discussed everything under the sun, except politics. He blessed me. And I am very grateful for that,鈥� he said.
The lawmaker expressed gratitude to Villegas for accommodating him and his group despite the Catholic prelate鈥檚 busy schedule.
鈥淗e was very gracious to accommodate us 鈥e just came from Manila,鈥� Marcos said.