Philippines’ Bishops Concerned Over Elections After Massacre

By Santosh Digal, BosNewsLife Asia Correspondent reporting from the Philippines

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (BosNewsLife)– Influential Catholic bishops have urged Filipinos to vote in upcoming May elections with their conscience and not be “swayed” by opinion polls, after the worst act of political violence in the Asian nation’s history killed dozens of people.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) 100th general assembly agreed that, “The existence of private armies, the proliferation of loose fire arms, and political dynasties are obstacles to the growth of a genuine democratic system.”

The CBCP referred to the November 23 political-related massacre in Maguindanao province, southern Philippines, where 57 people were killed, including relatives of a mayor’s political opponent on their way to file campaign papers. Additionally, 30 reporters and media workers were also among the victims — the largest number of journalists killed in a single episode, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The family of Andal Ampatuan Jr., the mayor of the town of Datu Unsay in predominantly Muslim Maguindanao, has close political connections to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The mayor has pleaded not guilty in a trial, but rigths activist suspect the “Ampatuan clan” was involved in the massacre.

MARTIAL LAW

After the violence, president Arroyo introduced martial law in Maguindanao, some 960 kilometers (600 miles) south of the capital Manila.

In separate incidents, church leaders and Christian missionaries have been killed and abducted in recent years in the Philippines by Muslim militants and other groups opposed to their activities.

“Outrageous political violence” has “awakened” the country “to the reality that if we do not keep watch together as a nation our electoral processes can drag us down,” said the CBCP after semi-annual deliberations held January 22-24.

Bishops urged Christians, including the Catholic laity, to support candidates that are “qualified”
and have a record of striving for the “common good.”

CONTROVERSIAL SYSTEM

About 50 million voters in the Philippines will choose a new set of national and local leaders in the country’s first nationwide automated elections on May 10, a system that has never been tested.

Lawmakers, political parties and information technology experts have cast doubts over the automated process, fearing machine breakdowns and delays in the transmission of results could lead to a failed election and political limbo. The CBCP also cautioned that “Automated elections will not give [the Philippines] good public officials.”

Ultimately, “The leaders that our country shall have will depend on our wise choice of candidates. Do not be swayed by survey results or political advertisements,” the bishops added in a pastoral statement to the faithful.

They did not give any direct voting advise, however. “Follow the dictates of your conscience after a prayerful and collective period of discernment.”

Analysts have warned that any potential civil unrest and widespread violence could be used by the government as a pretext for declaring martial law across the country, thus extending President Arroyo’s term.