A Pastoral Letter on the 2013 Elections

TO the People of God in the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao: In union with the priests of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao I address you as your Pastor particularly on matters pertaining to the May 2013 Election. The Church is the Conscience of society and therefore with St. Paul we proclaim the word with persistence whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching (2 Tim 4, 2). Elections are essential to the common good. Leaders are thereby selected to provide the conditions that allow each person to fulfill his or her vocation. Whether or not a society is just depends in considerable measure on its leaders, and so justice and the common good are at stake in these elections. That is why the Church has the competence to speak, and must speak, or else be remiss in her duties to God and Country. Politics in Cagayan Sad to say, politics in Cagayan is UGLY and DIRTY. It reflects what the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said in 1997 that Philippine Politicsthe way it is practicedhas been most hurtful to our people. It is possibly the biggest BANE to our life as a nation and the most pernicious obstacle to our full development ( Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics). 1. Patronage Politics is alive and all-pervading. Political leaders have their patrons so that the result of the elections depends often not so much on the capability of the candidate but on his patron. Employment in government, as in the police force, department of education and other officesthe entire machinery of government, in fact, depends on patronage. 2. Political Dynasties have all but cornered public offices in Cagayan for some time now, and their names surface at each election. The Constitution rejects political dynasties and the Church characterizes them as evil because it breeds ineptitude and corruption. Fair equality of opportunity is a fundamental demand of justice. This demand is frustrated when a family that occupies different positions in government at the same time and succeeds each other in the same position builds its bailiwick of followers and has in readiness a war-chest of campaign funds amassed, many times through dishonest means. 3. New candidates often have to resort to the methods, styles and approaches of Traditional Politics: winning their way to office by distributing money, promising positions to their followers and maligning their political

opponents. The use of the four Gs: gold, guns, goons, girls (entertainment and entertainers) still seems to be the only way to win an election. 4. As a result of the above, well-meaning persons who are otherwise competent and are willing to serve are discouraged from seeking public office because they do not have money, nor the tolerance for this kind of dirty politics, thereby depriving the citizenry of service-minded public officials. 5. Efforts at educating voters often end up for naught since the choice of leaders is seldom based on Gospel principles. Our people themselves often are to be blamed for this sad state of affairs because they are known to vote for the highest bidder, or on the basis of popularity, and on a misplaced sense of loyalty and gratitude for undeserved favors. The Local Church and Politics We, your pastors, are aware of our failings and admit that we also are partly to be blamed for this ugly situation. We have sought the patronage of politicians for favors either for ourselves or for our projects. We have not always spoken with consistency, resoluteness and sufficient clarity. Our Resolve After a period of prayerful discernment with my priests, I have come to a resolve to lay the following guidelines for the pastoral instruction of our faithful: 1. To counteract the culture of Patronage Politics which breeds dependency and silence, it is hereby prohibited for any priest, religious sister, lay leader, and any religious or church-related organization to solicit donations from any politician before, during or after elections. In case unsolicited donations are received by any of the above-mentioned groups, the donation must be discretely returned if this can be practically and prudently done, but if not, the donation may be kept, but the name of the donor must never be acknowledged publicly and the amount must be faithfully accounted for according to the strictest accounting procedures obtaining in our Archdiocese. 2. Political Dynasties must be vigorously rejected. It does not serve the common good to vote for a candidate seeking to replace a family member (spouse, parent, children or sibling) for the same elective position. The Catholic voter will reject such candidates. This also means rejecting candidates whose only claim for the votes of the citizens comes from well-placed relatives who are already in power. 3. Furthermore, reject likewise those candidates who have taken positions contrary to the fundamental teachings of the Church, like those who support the RH Law. Do not vote for those who are in the forefront of destructive mining and logging activities, those profiting from illegal gambling especially jueteng, and

from trafficking of dangerous drugs. Reject those engaged in smuggling, in the sex trade, and those known to be harboring weapons arsenals and private armies. 4. We encourage our lay people, including lay ministers, to run for public office. However, if it is found out that a certain lay minister resorts to the immoral methods of Traditional Politics to win votes, that particular lay minister should immediately resign, or if he doesnt, he should be relieved of his church responsibilities. 5. Lay people and lay organizations may engage in partisan politics, and may even draw up a list of candidates whom they may campaign vigorously for, and may campaign aggressively against those candidates mentioned in items 2 and 3 above. When they engage in partisan politics, however, they are not to speak either in the name of the parish or of the Archdiocese. As Clergy, we do not endorse any party or any candidate. But as disciples of Christ and as your Pastors, must respond to His call in all we do, and so our participation in the elections is part of our service in the Kingdom of God. Like Jesus, the Good Shepherd we declare these to the people entrusted to our care so that they might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10, 10). Given this 21st day of April 2013, Good Shepherd Sunday, at the Archdiocesan Chancery, Arzobispado na Tuguegarao, Tuguegarao City.

+SERGIO L. UTLEG Archbishop of Tuguegarao Attested: Fr. DANILO ULEP President, Priests Assembly