‘The Sooner, The Better’
Bishop Calls on Church
Leaders to Rally People for Arroyo’s Ouster
“It’s time for the
people to defend their own liberties. We (bishops) will plan about
(persuading) the people to come out, the people should come out. The
sooner, the better."
By BULATLAT
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE: Protesters
calling for the president's removal (above left photo) are blocked by
police while Bishop Tobias (above, right photo) pauses to answer a mobile
phone call.
Photos by Aubrey Makilan
A Catholic bishop who
early July was one of the first group of church leaders who called for
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s resignation, has urged the people to
take to the streets in order to remove the president.
Novaliches Bishop
Antonio Bishop, interviewed by Bulatlat at the gallery Aug. 30 as the
House Committee on Justice plunged into acrimonious debates over the
President’s impeachment, said: “I think it’s time for the people to defend
their own liberties. We (bishops) will plan about (persuading) the people
to come out, the people should come out. The sooner the better."
Tobias had in the
morning led a mass for truth and justice at the St. Peter’s Parish
Church on Commonwealth Avenue,
Quezon City near the Batasan complex, the headquarters of the House of
Representatives.
A newspaper quoted
the bishop as calling on the people to unite to oust the President.
Tobias later led the
march of about 5,000 protesters to the Batasan gate.
Observing the
committee proceedings that led to the shooting down of the amended
impeachment complaint, Tobias called it "a mockery of justice.”
“It is a pity that
Congressman (Simeon) Datumanong (the committee chair) can do that. He is
stupid really and doesn't know what he's doing, really. I think this is a
grand plan that the president want these things quashed before she goes to
the U.S. and address the United Nations. She is going to get all kinds of
protests and rallies there. So what kind of country are we showing
ourselves? This is a pity."
Tobias also called
the committee proceedings “a whole travesty of justice, a sham.”
He urged fellow
priests and nuns to be with the people. “As part of their own vigilance,
they should, as shepherds, bring their people into prayers and analysis of
the situation. So that the people can make up their own minds."
The bishop is also
with the Inter-Faith Movement for Truth, Justice and Genuine Change (IFM).
Initiated by the Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF) and the Diocese of
Novaliches, IFM counts the support and membership of various religious
institutions/faith-based groups including the United Muslims for Morality
and Truth (UMMAT) and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines
(NCCP), the largest group of Protestant churches in the country.
Bulatlat
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