The Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines has been in the forefront in all the political upheavals the country has experienced since the time of the Marcos dictatorship.
Many of its members braved the tanks sent by Marcos to Edsa during the 1986 People Power. They were very much visible in the 2001 ouster of Joseph Estrada and the installation of Gloria Arroyo.
But they did not hesitate to rally against Arroyo when reports of election cheating and massive corruption surfaced.
They supported the rise of Benigno Aquino III to the presidency.
Last week, while the President waxed ecstatic over the investment upgrade that the Philippines got from a major credit rating agency, saying it’s “ an institutional affirmation of our good governance agenda”, the AMRSP reflected on the situation of the Philippines under a second Aquino presidency.
The result is a five page statement entitled “What is happening to our beautiful land? Where does Daang Matuwid lead our people?”
“The rise to the presidency of Noynoy Aquino brought so much hope. He made us believe that change is possible, that corruption could be curtailed, and that public service is, indeed, a public trust. In the first months of his reign, he relentlessly pursued those who were perceived to be guilty of corruption, and we were all aware of the drama that unfolded on national television when the former first family was stopped from running away from the wheels of justice. Days, months, three years have passed. We hold him to his promise of change. While it is true that there has been headway in the fight against corruption much more remains to be done. No big fish has been convicted since 2010 and with the way the tentacles of the corrupt have stymied the judicial process, PNoy’s term might be over and the cases will still be languishing in the courts,” the religious group said.
They asked: “We are now in the third year of PNoy’s term and it is time we ask ourselves so many questions: Akin to the question, “Which way Lord?”, we ask those in authority: Where is this government leading us?”
They touched on several aspects: ecology, human rights, and agrarian reform. They talked on one subject close to their hearts: Truth-tellers and whistle blowers.
They said they were thankful for having been given the rare privilege of taking an active part in the triumph of truth over lies in a culture of fear and moral bankruptcy. “Jun Lozada, Heidi Mendoza, George Rabusa, Lorena Baylon, Nagamura Moner, etc. were, for us, true prophetic voices who wanted to challenge the thundering sounds of the Goliaths in this mountain of lies known as the government. As they upheld the truth, we began to realize with growing horror and increasing indignation the extent of corruption that is systemic in our government bureaucracy then and even now. We see its toll on our suffering people who could actually live in abundance if the resources of the country were truly used for their good,” they said.
They continued: “We are saddened by the way the PNoy administration is treating the case of Jun Lozada. It is unthinkable to imagine that Jun’s heroic act that has put him and his family, not only in danger, but in a state of continuous dislocation would be in vain. We cannot go back to ‘business as usual’ simply because ‘higher-up’ officials want to get back at Jun. We cannot understand the indifference that the PNoy government is showing about Jun Lozada.”
AMRSP said Jun Lozada experienced his own “kairos” which led him to become a truth-teller…We are fully aware that the law is blind and spares no one but the God we know is a compassionate God, the God we worship is a God of justice and love. Let Jun Lozada and all truth tellers be given the chance to live in peace and rebuild their lives.”
The religious group is not giving up. They said: “We have so many questions in our minds, questions that we want to be answered, questions that perhaps cannot be answered. But one thing is certain. We cannot be stopped from our obligation to be the voice of the voiceless and be in solidarity with the poor, the neglected, and the abandoned. “
AMRSP’s full statement:
AMRSPwhat is happening to our beautiful land
Lozada’s case has so many ramifications and complications and PNoy will not interfere. He would rather have the law and justice take its proper course.
Paano ngayon yan para sa mga madre?
kung anuman ang mga sinasabi nilang naging kasalanan ni jun lozada noong siya ay nanunungkulan pa sa kinauukulang ahensiya ng gobyerno ay maaaring ituring nang sarado kapalit ng kanyang pagsisiwalat ng mga katiwaliang MISMONG ang mag-asawang arroyo at mga kakutsaba ang may pakana.
sabihin na nating SUROT NG KUNSENSIYA ang nanaig upang buong tapang niyang banggain ang mag-asawang baboy at lamanglupa sampu ng mga malignong galamay.
hindi naman tama ‘yung pagtrato ni penoy na pagwawalambahala sa kalagayan ngayon ni lozada at kanyang pamilya.
Lozada is not a member of KKK kaya magdusa sya.
Pansinin na kung isinusuka ng pangulo ang tao kahit anupa ang significance ng issue, ang tao at issue ay dinidedma ni pnoy. He is incapable of separating the person from the issue which is a trait of a lesser man.
Lozada case is for the criminal justice to take care and not by any Religious Group…the Phl is a Secular and not a Theocracy…If Lozada is a material witness against the former administration personnel wrongdoings then he can make a Plea Bargain with the Authorities for a Reduce Charges in exchange for his Witnessing for the State…Pnoy is trying to demonstrate that there are processes to follow and he can not just personally intervene in administration of Justice, otherwise it is Back to Square One and beyond…
Ellen,
Nahaharap ngayon ang ating bansa sa isang mas malaking krisis sakaling hindi malulutas ang problemang kinakaharap ng marami nating kababayan dito sa Saudi Arabia.
Kung inyong nababalitaan diyan sa Pilipinas, nagsasagawa ang mga kinauukulan dito ng track down sa mga illegal workers and overstayers. Sa mga inuupahang bahay, sa shops, establishments at maging sa mga labor camps and job sites and offices ay nire-raid ng mga kagawad ng Ministry of Interior at Ministry of Labor.
Libo libong Pinoy ang maaaring mapauwi sakaling sila ay mapatunayang lumalabag sa residency and employment regulations dito at sa tingin ko ay lubhang nakatuon ang pansin ng kasalukuyang administrasyon kung paano nila makokopo ang local and national positions pagsapit ng eleksiyon sa Mayo. Tila wala silang nakahandang contingency plan tungkol sa kahihinatnan ng ating mga kababayan na ilang taon na ring nababalitang maaapektuhan ng Saudization Program sakaling ito ay lubusang ipatupad na ngayon ay maliwanag nang sinisimulan.
i am an OFW in Jeddah Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Government moved the deadline till June 30, 2013 to comply. To comply means, all companies should have at least 25% of locals. Non-compliance means the said company could not renew any Residence Permit on all expats.
Yes, last week naglilibot sa mga companies at nag conduct ng road inspection ang mga police. Last thursday ay natigil ito dahil nag issue ng statement ang King ng Saudi na e extend ang deadline sa June 30, 2013.
My two cents… Just don’t know how I’m going to rate success of the current administration. I’m more leaning somehow on how this administration empower its power its people more than anything else because in my mind we pinoys always find our way to survive. With the cybercrime law signed and approved by our government and currently in the back burner because of strong resistance from many sectors instead of addressing it squarely I have my doubts. How about the freedom of information act? How about hustisya in general? ang bagal and full of red tape and technicalities. Seems forgotten. Do we really need to wait forever to conclude the maguindanao massacre? I’m afraid after pnoy
mr. atten’shun!, este Tension pala,
‘yun nga la’ang ang magandang nangyari – binigyan ng 3 buwang reprieve ng hari ang mga illegal workers upang ilagay sa tama at legal ang kanilang mga katayuan.
tulad mo dito din ako sa jeddah and most of our manpower here are rentals kaya sandaling napahinto ang ilang operations ng project na sinasamahan ko dahil sa paghuli sa mga illegal workers who, mostly are mga itiks, pako & bangali. sa ngayon ay tuloy na uli ang laban, full blast at smooth ang trabaho.