Archdiocese issuing ‘clarification’

CEBU, Philippines- In view of a recent call made in Cebu City by the National Transformation Council for President Benigno Aquino III to step down, the Archdiocese of Cebu is releasing today its “clarificatory statement” on the issue.

“Archbishop (Jose) Palma will issue a statement tomorrow (today) regarding the NTC confusion,”  Monsignor Joseph Tan said, Archdiocesan social communications head.

He was referring to the most recent call NTC made for Aquino to leave his office that was made Friday last week inside the retirement home of Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.

The retired prelate read an NTC statement making the call and urging church leaders and the faithful to take action against society’s ills, including the incompetence of national leaders.

The three-page statement, however, did not specify what kind of action the Filipinos are to take.

What was clear was that Vidal asked for the people to pray for the country to overcome this “challenging period” in our history.

While Palma was there and even led the Holy Mass inside the chapel in Vidal’s residence, the former Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines quickly left after the statement was read as he (Palma) “had a meeting to catch.”

Photos of Vidal while reading the statement landed in the local paper’s front pages the other day and included Palma among those at the background.

In an interview prior to Vidal reading the NTC declaration, which was made right after the Mass, Palma pointed out that the church has yet to take a stand on the call for the national leaders to resign and give way to a “caretaker government”.

Like Vidal, Palma called for prayers so that the nation may heal following the death of 44 police Special Action Force commandos in an encounter with Mindanao rebels last January 25.  (FREEMAN)