Archbishop leads drive for People’s Initiative

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Members of the Catholic Church in Iloilo, headed by Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, have given their full support to the People’s Initiative for the abolition of the pork barrel system in the country.

The manifesto of support was issued during the people’s congress last Friday at the Jaro Archbishop Residence in Jaro district of this city, with lawyer Alex Lacson, chairman of Solidarity for Transformation Philippines, as resource speaker.

Lagdameo, who led in the symbolic signature campaign, said: “Now we had just started a revolution. Right this afternoon. A Revolution must continue. I have been assured by our social action director that everything is prepared. All the weapons are already prepared. The ballpens and the papers.”

The archbishop added: “Now you see that it is a modern type of revolution, just like we presently did. We can change our government. We can. This is actually what we have been doing ever since. Change our government, very slowly, quietly, peacefully and prayerfully. And I think that if we have done it in the past, we can do it again.”

Father Marco Sulayao, of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, also assured his church’s full support and commitment to the People’s Initiative campaign to abolish the pork barrel.

At least 200 church people from different towns attended the Congress, after which a candle lighting ceremony was staged in front of the Jaro Cathedral participated by members of various groups belonging to Bayan-Panay.  (FREEMAN)