Robredo: ‘Insult’ to Church to suggest it’s being used for politics
CAVITE, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo pushed back against insinuations that she is using the Catholic Church to bolster her political standing, saying that it will not allow itself to be used by politicians.
“I think that’s an insult to the Church,” Robredo told reporters in Filipino in Dasmariñas, Cavite on Friday.
“I think the Church will never let it be used. The Church is a stronger institution than us politicians and it will never allow itself to be used just because of their inclination for a politician.”
The independent presidential candidate said she thinks the Church is actively involving itself in politics since it recognizes how crucial the upcoming elections are.
“It’s not just about siding with a politician, but the morality of our nation is what’s at stake here,” Robredo added.
Robredo said she is seeking the help of the Church to help her fight disinformation — which independent fact-checkers say she is the top target of — in the hopes of tapping its machinery to combat falsehoods.
She added that the fight against disinformation is not limited to the Church and groups supporting her but is open to all sectors.
“Even if their candidate is different, our problem is the same if false propaganda becomes the reason why our elections would lose integrity,” Robredo said.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines is not endorsing any presidential candidate, but has come out with a pastoral letter warning against historical revisionism particularly of the brutal martial rule of the Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Marcos’ son and namesake is also running for president and is enjoying a wide lead in pre-election surveys.
The campaign of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, standard-bearer of Aksyon Demokratiko, raised eyebrows at what it called the “unacceptable” move of some sectors in the Catholic Church to support presidential candidates, particularly Robredo.
“They can preach moral values. But to use the church itself as a focal point for a rally, that's not acceptable. And we saw that on TV, there were leaflets and pink propaganda materials in front of the altar. That sends a different message already,” Domagoso’s political strategist Lito Banayo said in Filipino in a press briefing on Thursday.
Banayo, however, admitted that they, too, seek meetings with bishops.Earlier in February, Domagoso also courted members of the Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai as he joined the religious group's worship service.
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