CBCP says priests were not part of program for Balangiga bells turnover

The Borongan Diocese's committee that spearheaded the return of the Balangiga Bells clarified on Tuesday that the priests were asked to move out during the turnover rites attended by President Rodrigo Duterte because they were not part of the program proper.

Instead, the clergy were asked to participate in the "post-program" event, which was opened to the other guests.

Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, who heads the diocese's committee for the return of the bells and media director of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), in a statement said a program was made for the arrival of the President at the town plaza, and a separate post-program for the church officials.

Quitorio said the program had several revisions due to Duterte's decision to attend the ceremony in the town of Balangiga.

The initial plan was for him to attend the handover ceremony at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

"Binago ‘yong program. Ang program na ipinagsama noong 15 ng umaga, bagong bago. ... Eto anim na mga parts: Arrival of the President & Ringing of the bells, Hand-over of the certificate of transfer. Tapos two parts ang number three, pang-apat ‘yung introduction  of the pres... 'yung parang magi-introduce sila sa speaker tapos salita ng Presidente pang-limang part;  pang-anim Departure of the President," he said.

"‘Yung lang ang program. So after umalis meron silang tinatawag na post-program'," Quitorio said.

The CBCP media director emphasized that the clergy really had no part at the handover program.

"So lahat ng pari, bishop ang parte nandodoon sa post-program. Doon sa program proper wala sila (pari) doon, ang Presidente lang, ang unveiling tapos turn-over, salita niya, tapos aalis na, gano’n, 3 o’clock," Quitorio added.

However, the president's arrival was delayed, prompting the committee to start the post program at 3 p.m. Duterte arrived afterwards.

After this, the priests were made to vacate the area to pave the way for the formal program, which would have Duterte, the CBCP official said.

It was Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Gabriele Giordano Caccia who then told the priests not to leave the venue because he deemed it disrespectful to the President Duterte.

"Si Nuncio of all people, siya ang nagsabi sa mga pari at Bishops na ‘H’wag tayong aalis’. Ang kaniyang reason, ‘pag umalis tayo sasabihin na ‘We are walking out of president, that would be worst.' Sabi niya, ‘Masama ‘yan'. This are the words of Papal Nuncio. So kahit pinaalis sila, wala, walang kibo ‘yung mga paring nandiyaan lang, kahit sabi nga ni Father Emil, ‘hina-harass na kami wala kaming kibo'," Quitorio said.

Quitorio said he was not blaming the Presidential Management Staff for following the program proper.

On Saturday, December 15, the Balangiga bells have once again tolled for the first time in over a century, after President Duterte rang one of them —and even kissed it — at a turnover ceremony in the Eastern Samar town. —LDF, GMA News