BALANGA CITY – The Diocese of Balanga that comprises Catholic churches in 11 towns and a city will not endorse or label any candidate but merely issue guidelines for responsible voting on the May 13 elections, Bishop Ruperto C. Santos announced Sunday.
“The set of guidelines is generic that reflects the sentiments of Bataan voters who know best,” the bishop said.
Santos said each diocese under the Catholic Church is autonomous and has a stand of its own. “Sa Bataan wala kaming endorsement o labeling ng mga kandidato, walang etchapwera, sapagka’t divisive ‘yan,” he said.
The head of the church in Bataan met with representatives of the Commission on Elections, Department of Education, Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army’s 24th Infantry Batallion.
“Ito’y sa layuning maging mapayapa at maayos ang halalan bilang pagmamahal at pagmamalasakit sa lalawigan,” the prelatet known as Bishop Stud said.
He said that Comelec, DepEd, the police and the Army are charged in the conduct of clean and peaceful elections.
In the meeting at the Residencia Sacerdotal in Balanga City or the first Retirement Home for priests in Bataan, Santos spelled out various moves of the diocese to help ensure credible elections in the province.
Bishop Stud said that pastoral reflections will be read on all Holy Masses in all churches in the province for three consecutive Sundays, on April 28 for voters, May 5 for candidates and May 12 for the elections.
Two tarpaulins will be placed on all churches, a tarpaulin about “Pangakong Bataeno sa Halalan” and the other “Limang Utos sa Responsbleng Pagboto”.
For three nights before voting day, all churches in Bataan will be opened from 9 p.m. to 12 midnight where the faithful will pray and reflect for the conduct of honest and peaceful elections.
“Pangkaraniwan, nangyayari ang barilan (hindi putukan kundi iyong bilihan, gapangan sa mga botante) ilang gabi bago ang botohan kaya ito ang ipagdarasal natin na sana makonsensiya kung sino man ang gagawa nito,” Santos said.
