Caloocan Bishop Pablo David assumes CBCP post

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Wednesday officially starts his term of office as president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

The report posted on the CBCP website states that David succeeds Archbishop Romulo Valles of the Archdiocese of Davao.

David is a staunch critic of the Duterte administration's war against drugs.

In 2019, a sedition complaint was filed against him and several leaders of the Catholic church and political personalities who are known critics of the Duterte administration.

"The charges of sedition being leveled against us are not only unjust; they are atrocious. They are based on nothing but false testimony," David said.

David was born in Guagua, Pampanga. He was ordained a priest March 12, 1983 for the Archdiocese of San Fernando.

In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Titular Bishop of Guardialfiera and Auxiliary of San Fernando.

Pope Francis appointed him as bishop of Caloocan on September 14, 2015.

The CBCP vice president is Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara and a new set of council members.

The council members for Luzon are:

• Tuguegarao Archbishop Ricardo Baccay
• Malolos Bishop Dennis Villarojo
• Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos
• Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera

For the Visayas, the regional representatives are:

• Masbate Bishop Jose Bantolo
• Talibon Bishop Patrick Daniel Parcon
• Kabankalan Bishop Louie Galbines

Representatives for Mindanao are:

• Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Jose Cabantan
• Mati Bishop Abel Apigo

The officials, who were elected earlier this year, have a two-year tenure in office and a possible second term. -- BAP, GMA News