MANILA, Oct. 14, 2013—More bishops are supporting the call for a people’s initiative to abolish the pork barrel system and even willing to help in the groundwork.
At least five bishops said they can mobilize their parishes to implement former Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s call for a people’s initiative and help gather the needed signatures.
Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro in Iloilo said he is willing to help in the signature campaign through his archdiocese’s social action center and other lay organizations.
The former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, however, said “it would be better” if instructions on the signature drive is coursed through the CBCP secretariat in Manila.
Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon also assured the support of his diocese to Puno’s call to scrap all forms of pork barrel.
“All of us in Sorsogon are very angry with this pork whatever it is named. I always include in my homilies a prophetic exhortation against this social and political evil,” he said.
Other bishops who are willing to help gather signatures in their pastoral jurisdictions are Bishops Carlito Cenzon of Baguio, Reynaldo Evangelista of Imus and Martin Jumoad of Basilan.
“Yes I’m willing with the help of our priests, religious and lay faithful,” Evangelista said.
In Cebu, the country’s second archdiocese, church officials have also joined local efforts for a people’s initiative to push for legislation to scrap the pork barrel. (CBCPNews)
