MANILA, April 24, 2013— The Catholic hierarchy in Leyte is not coming out with a list of candidates whom its 1.2 million members should support or not vote for in the May 13 elections.
Lay individuals and organizations, however, were encouraged to get involved in partisan politics even if it means coming out with their own list of candidates.
“There’s no plan [in the] Archdiocese of Palo to make a list of candidates, whom the faithful would vote or not,” said Fr. Amadeo Alvero, the archdiocese’s media coordinator.
“But the lay faithful or group of lay faithful are free to make their own list of candidates,” he said in an article posted at the archdiocese’s website.
At least three dioceses have come up with the “Team Patay (Death)” posters, containing names of senatorial candidates who supported the passage of a contraceptives law, a measure opposed by the Church. They also put up tarpaulins for “Team Buhay (Life)” senatorial bets that rejected the bill.
“In our archdiocese, the faithful are asked to vote according to their informed conscience,” Alvero said.
“The faithful knew that the Church has openly opposed the Reproductive Health law. It’s now up to them if they would not vote the proponents of the RH law,” the priest added.
While only few dioceses have so far release a list of “Team Patay” candidates, several archbishops and bishops called on the faithful not to vote politicians who support the RH law. (CBCPNews)