News Roundup 16 April 2022
Apr 16, 2022 • 4 min Read
Malolos laity declare support for Leni-Kiko tandem | INQUIRER.NET – Saying presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan are the “Good Shepherds” who can best lead the flock of God, more than a hundred members of the Council of the Laity of the Malolos Diocese expressed their support to the two leaders in their respective bids for the presidency and the vice presidency in the May 2022 polls. Sister Josephine Urrutia, president of the 117-member Diocesan Council of the Laity, said in an expression of support statement on Wednesday, April 13, that their group believes in “Leni and Kiko” having the same qualities of the “Ideal Pastol” (good shepherd) whom the Prophet Ezekiel and John the Evangelist have talked about in the Bible. They also cited nine good ideal principles and actions that Robredo and Pangilinan have to make if they got elected. “They will take care of the welfare of the sheep, they will be fed and given water to drink, to be re-strengthened and the weak and sick to be cured, will find those who are missing and will not use drastic hand, will protect the sheep from dangerous animals, will not only feed and satisfy oneself, will not steal, will sacrifice their lives for their sheep, will recognize the voice of God and will join and lead the flock towards a good life before the eyes of God,” the group’s statement said. The group also laments, “matuto tayo sa mga aral ng kasaysayan, linangin natin ang sambayanang Pilipino, patnubayan tayo ng Banal na Espiritu (let us learn from the lessons of history, let us nourish the Filipino society, may the Holy Spirit guide us).”
Family of late president Magsaysay backs Robredo’s presidential bid | INQUIRER.NET – The family of the late president Ramon Magsaysay on Saturday expressed its support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo. “In fully embracing Magsaysay’s belief that those who have less in life should have more in law, VP Leni has served the marginalized by being a lawyer for the masses — without much fanfare or pretension,” the late president’s son and former senator Ramon “Jun” Magsayay, Jr., said in a statement. The former senator continued: “As a public servant, VP Leni has initiated programs, such as the Angat Buhay program, that have uplifted the lives of those in the margins of society despite having limited means.” Former senator Magsaysay added that he believes Robredo “espouses” his father’s legacy of being for the common people. “As she believes that the common people are at the very center of public service, the Filipino people may expect Vice President Leni Robredo to espouse President Ramon Magsaysay’s enduring legacy of championing the Filipino masses,” he said.
CBCP head slams red-tagging, says even Jesus was red-tagged | INQUIRER.NET – Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David denounced the red-tagging of certain individuals, saying that even Jesus Christ was red-tagged as a “subversive.” “Siguro kaya Red ang kulay ng Biyernes Santo. Paalala din ito na ang ikinamatay ni Hesus sa krus ay red-tagging,” David said during his Good Friday homily at the San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan City. (Maybe that’s the reason why Red is the color of Good Friday. To remind us that Jesus died on the cross because of red-tagging.) “Organizer daw kasi siya ng mga poor fishermen sa Galilea, naglalagi pa siya sa mga liblib na lugar tulad ng mga disyerto at bundok, at related pa siya sa isang kilalang aktibistang propeta na si Juan Bautista at maanghang din magsalita. Ayun, subersibo daw,” the Bishop went on. (He was an organizer of poor fishermen in Galilee, he went to remote places like deserts and mountains, and he was related to John the Baptist, the activist prophet who was very critical. So he was accused of being a subversive.) David also noted the arrest of Dr. Maria Natividad Castro who was a victim of red-tagging. “Siyempre dahil napakatalino at napakagaling na doktor, dahil titulado, mataas ang credentials at pwedeng yumaman sa pagdodoktor, suspetsado kaagad siya porke’t pinili niyang sa mga dukha sa mga liblib na baryo magsilbi bilang doktor,” David said of Castro. (Of course because she is a very smart and outstanding doctor, a titled one, who could be rich by practicing her profession, she was suspected because she chose to serve as doctor to the poor living in isolated barrios.) The 53-year old doctor, who is also a human rights and public health advocate who served indigenous communities in Mindanao, was arrested for kidnapping. The charge was later dismissed. David said: “Sabi nga ng isang madre, ‘Ba’t ba ganyan, porke’t nagsi-serve sa mga dukha, komunista kaagad? Di ba pwedeng ‘Kristiyano’ muna?’” (Just like what a nun said: “Just because you are serving the poor, you are already a communist? Can’t we be a Christian first?”)
