WikiLeaks: Nuncio told bishops to stay out of political entanglements

MANILA, Philippines - The Papal Nuncio advised bishops to stay clear of political entanglements “as per Vatican policy,” specifically on the clamor to oust former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the height of the “Hello, Garci” scandal in 2005, according to a diplomatic cable published by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

In a diplomatic cable sent by then Charge d’Affaires Joseph Mussomeli of the US embassy in Manila to Washington, it cited a Church contact of the embassy who clarified that the bishops decided not to demand the resignation of Arroyo.

Several local press reports have claimed that then

Italian papal nuncio, Monsignor Antonio Franco,  “scolded” the Catholic bishops during their July 9-10, 2005 annual conference in Manila, demanding that they not involve themselves in politics by explicitly calling for Arroyo’s resignation.

An embassy official spoke with Bishop Romulo de la Cruz, who attended the conference that year and asked him about the claims. 

De la Cruz, bishop for Antique, confirmed that the papal nuncio addressed the event on July 9, 2005, but “Franco in no way scolded the bishops or referred in detail to Philippine domestic politics.”

Former Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said the public should be perceptive on reports of WikiLeaks such as the one that says the Vatican allegedly pressured Filipino bishops to remain neutral and not support calls for the ouster of Arroyo.

“Not all information released by the website WikiLeaks can be taken as gospel truth,” said Archbishop Cruz.