CBCP urges Filipinos to stand up for truth amid distortion of history, 'pandemic of lies'

MANILA, Philippines — On the 36th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines urged Filipinos to discern what is true and good amid what it called a “pandemic of lies.” 

In a pastoral letter for the upcoming May polls, the country’s Catholic bishops also warned Filipinos against historical revisionism and distortion of truth.

“Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us stand up for truth. Remember: goodness without truth is pretense. Service without truth is manipulation. There can be no justice without truth. Even in charity, without truth, is only sentimentalism,” CBCP said in a letter released Friday.

“An election or any process that is not based on truth is but a deception and cannot be trusted,” it added.

The bishops said it is appalled by the “radical” distortion of history or its denial, misinformation and disinformation and the proliferation of troll farms.

“Disrespect for truth is disrespect for freedom. When we disregard truth, we disregard our obligation to be accountable. Can we address corruption if there is no truth? We must be ready to face the truth about ourselves,” they said.

Martial law not an invention

The letter, signed by CBCP President and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, was issued as the country commemorates the 36th anniversary of a peaceful uprising that toppled the dictatorship of late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whose two-decade rule saw outright abuse of human rights and massive plunder of state coffers.

His son and namesake is leading the presidential race, according to opinion polls, despite the clan’s history.

Bishops said many of them were witnesses to the injustice and cruelty of the elder Marcos’ Martial Law. “These are all written in our history.”

“We are alarmed by this distortion of the truth of history and the attempt to delete or destroy our collective memory through the seeding of lies and false narratives. This is dangerous, for it poisons our collective consciousness and destroys the moral foundations of our institutions,” they said.

CBCP also stressed that the People Power Revolution was not an invention of one person or one party.

“It was a fruit of love of neighbor and faith. With you, we were simply part of it… It was a triumph of the entire Filipino people,” it said.

Dialogue, discernment

As the campaigns for the upcoming elections heat up, Catholic bishops urged Filipinos to engage in dialogue and discernment.

“Listen to your conscience. Be the ones to decide. We trust in your capacity to discern what is true and good. We all seek the common good,” CBCP said.

“And, in the light of the Gospel of Jesus, let us follow the path of truth, goodness, justice and peace—not the path of violence, vengeance or evil.”