Bacolod bishop, clergy vow to fight Cha-cha

BACOLOD CITY — The Diocese of Bacolod led by Bishop Vicente Navarra kicked off its campaign against the government’s efforts to amend the Constitution with a torch parade Wednesday night, vowing to continue its fight until it gets "results."

Bishop Vicente Navarra led some 50 priests and 800 parishioners in the torch parade at the public plaza after holding a concelebrated novena at the San Sebastian Cathedral.

"Let us trust that the Creator of all, God, will make a way to prevent (Charter change) and to unmask the lies of all those who work evil," Navarra said in his homily,

Priests, nuns, seminarians of the Sacred Heart Seminary and the laity also carried placards that called for the rejection of what they described as "deceptive methods" of amending the Constitution.

Red banners some 20 meters long proclaiming "No to Cha-cha now" and "No to fake people’s initiative" were unfurled from the twin spires of the cathedral.

"It is the vow of the Church in Bacolod, of the bishop, the priests and the faithful, to continue our actions until we achieve results," Navarra said.

The Dioceses of San Carlos, Kabankalan and Dumaguete also took part in the torch parade.

In his homily in the Ilonggo dialect, Navarra lashed out repeatedly at what he called the "lies and deception" used by the Arroyo administration and Congress in pushing for constitutional amendments.

While he stressed that the Church is in no position to judge, he said its duty is to explain the issues to allow the people to "come to their own conclusions."

Navarra expressed hope that "those in power, the promoters of (Charter change) realize that what needs to be changed is not the Constitution but their greed and selfish ambitions."

Diocesan vicar general Victorino Rivas said the Catholic Church still stands by "the rule of law and the principle of due process. The consciousness of the people has to be considered. Any political option should be based on morals and on conscience."

Amid reports that Malacañang was supposedly giving up on the controversial people’s initiative to amend the Constitution, Rivas called for "even more vigilance" against plans to railroad Charter change through a constituent assembly composed of the current members of Congress.

"Why should we allow those with questionable credibility to tamper with such a sacred document as the Constitution?" Rivas asked.

He said this was the reason why the Catholic Church has stood against Charter change since it was first brought up in 1997 by then President Fidel Ramos.

"Because their context has always been to remain in power. This is why we react (this way)," he said.

Navarra also rejected a constituent assembly, saying the only way the Constitution can be changed is through an elected constitutional convention convened only after "enough time and ample preparation."

Navarra acknowledged that they face a difficult task in opposing Charter change. "I admit — by any measure of human perception and human capacity — that we are battling a giant," he said.

The campaign will culminate in a mass action on June 12, said Fr. Anecito Buenafe, diocesan social action director.

This will be preceded by a caravan through the six cities and six municipalities of the diocese to rally the faithful to the anti-Charter change campaign, he said.