• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Members of the Bacolod Diocese clergy yesterday announced the holding in abeyance of the Moral Recovery Initiative for Bacolod City government and employees, pending a re-evaluation of the proposal for the Retreat and Recollection.
Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, in a statement he read during a press conference at the Negros Press Club in Bacolod City, said “we understand that the public is currently cautious and skeptical about collaborations with politicians. There is a prevailing perception of ‘underlying motives,’ ‘manipulation,’ and ‘unstated objectives’ when engaging in dialogue with government officials.”
The conduct of the retreat and recollection activity was supposed to be scheduled November 13 this year.
We need time to refine its content, solidify its objectives, and clearly define its targets and goals, Buenafe stressed.
Buenafe admitted that Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez requested a private meeting with him and other priests, who shared his dismay and frustration with the institution that he belongs to, on October 4 and 20.
He added that Benitez also sought their advice and moral guidance on how to restore public trust. It was during the Oct. 20 meeting, which was attended by other Bacolod City government officials, that the idea of a retreat or recollection was raised.
During the meeting, we made it clear that this initiative would not undermine the efforts or positions of any party regarding the anomalous flood control projects, Buenafe said.
After conferring with several of their brother priests-those who were not present during the meeting with Benitez, Buenafe said they must carefully review their approach to the Moral Recovery Initiative.
Recognizing that the most affected sector by corruption in government is the marginalized and the poor, he said their input is essential to the success of a Moral Recovery Initiative.
We must hear their recommendations on how misguided politicians can demonstrate genuine sincerity, Buenafe further said.
As members of the Bacolod clergy, we stand with the poor and the marginalized. It is their voice that must be amplified on a larger platform. We are united in our call for honest and accountable leadership, he added.
In a statement, Rep. Benitez said he understands where Fr. Buenafe and friends in the clergy are coming from.
Our people have every right to be dismayed and cynical when it comes to politics and politicians. After what we have seen and heard in recent months, trust in government is at an all-time low – and that is something we in public service, especially those in Congress, must confront with humility, the Bacolod solon said, adding that he “understands and respects the need of our priests to step back and reassess their involvement.”
What matters to me is that we continue to keep the doors of dialogue and partnership open. We deeply value their guidance and wisdom, and we welcome the opportunity to work closely with them, he added.
I truly believe that genuine moral recovery cannot happen without spiritual guidance. And no one can help lead us back to that path better than the Church and the faith community. I remain hopeful that, in time, we can move forward together in the shared belief that our people deserve honest leadership, and that moral renewal is not only possible – it is absolutely necessary, the solon further said.
Fr. Filomeno Duaban, who joined Reverend Fathers Buenafe, Arman Onion, Michael Cuenca and Henry Donasco, in a press briefing, clarified that they attended the initial dialogues with Bacolod City officials, not to patronize, to become an accomplice, to gain favor, or to whitewash investigations.
The Council of Concerned Citizens (C3), where Buenafe used to be the lead convenor, is investigating flood control projects, initially in Bacolod City.
“We are not blindly defending, or in support of any political agenda, whatever interests there may be,” Duaban pointed out.
We are there to dialogue with our government leaders, with a mission on how anyone in that office, given such dignity and responsibility, to lead with integrity – in accountability and transparency for the common good and prosperity of their constituents, he added.
On the other hand, Buenafe said he relinquished his role as C3 lead convenor after the group decided to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As members of the clergy, our involvement with corporations – unless sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church – is limited. Nevertheless, the priests originally identified with C3 have agreed to serve as the group’s spiritual advisers, he added.*
