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‘DON’T WE HAVE RIGHT TO SPEAK?’

Bishop Pabillo dares Panelo to charge bishops if they violate separation of Church, State


Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo on Monday dared presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo to file charges against the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) if he believes the group violated the separation of the Church and State through its recent pastoral letter critical of the government.

"Kung it violates, sila na mismo ang magkaso sa amin, hinahamon ko na kung talagang nagba-violate 'yun. Don't we have a right to speak sa mga kakulangan ng pamahalaan? Dahil ba kami ay Simbahan hindi ba kami puwedeng magsalita? We are also citizens," Pabillo said in a virtual pre-SONA forum.

"We are doing that in order na mamulat ang kamalayan ng mga tao. Sa halip na magsalita nang ganoon, kasuhan nila. Tingnan natin," he added.

The CBCP said the anti-terrorism law reminds them of the horrors of warrantless arrests and detentions initiated in 1972.

On Sunday, Panelo said the CBCP's pastoral letter  "appears to have" violated the doctrine of the separation of Church and State as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.

He said it parrots the "false narrative" against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and exerts religious influence or pressure on the Supreme Court to decide against the newly signed law which has been challenged by several groups.

Pabillo pointed out that Panelo's comment to the CBCP letter just shows that the concern of anti-terror law critics on possible maligning of the intention or purpose of dissenters of the government to tag them as terrorists is valid.

"'Yung sinsabi natin sa terror law na 'yan, 'yung intent. Sila ang magbibigay ng intensyon sa amin. Maliwanag na sa text, it's calling to prayer, sila na magbibigay ng intensyon na gusto namin baguhin ang desisyon ng iba? Nandiyan na 'yung dividing line na sinasabi," Pabillo said.

Lawyer Christian Monsod, also present during the online forum, underscored that freedom of speech is absolute.

"Priests, bishops, and so on, as citizens of the country, have the right of freedom of speech... If he's (Panelo) saying that the constitutional provision prohibits even citizens from commenting or criticizing government, then he's totally wrong," said Monsod, a former Elections chairperson appoined during the Cory Aquino administration.

Moreover, Pabillo emphasized that the Church has always spoken on the various social and political issues in the country to effectively guide the Catholics.

"All the time marami kaming statements na ibinibigay, laban sa mining, laban sa Kaliwa Dam, 'yung mga pamamalakad na tingin namin ay hindi tama... Siguro ngayon ay nakikita lang nila ngayon ay mas madalas dahil mas malaki ang problema natin," he said.

Sought for comment on Panelo’s statement, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing that the principle of separation of Church and State refers to religious freedom and prohibition against extending government support to a certain church or religious denomination.

"Iyon lang po ang dalawang bagay na ginagarantiyahan ng ating Saligang Batas doon sa separation of Church and State," Roque, a former law professor, said.

Roque did not respond to the question whether criticism of government policy is a violation of such principle.

'Hope for SC justices'

Pabillo said the Church is calling for prayers so that God could touch the hearts of the Filipino people for them to wake up and that the country's leaders would listen to the citizens.

"Panawagan din sa ngayon sa Supreme Court, sa justices, that their conscience may be touched, that they may decide not according to affiliations, not according to who appointed them but according to the good of the country, according to what the Constitution tells us," he said.

"May magagawa ang dasal," he added.

Pabillo will be leading a Holy Mass at the Manila Cathedral past noon of July 27, the day when President Rodrigo Duterte will deliver his 5th State of the Nation Address. — with Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News

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