Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula has appealed to the military and police to remain faithful to their oath and to the country, saying that ‘our nation currently faces a deep moral and spiritual crisis, marked by issues of corruption and mistrust in institutions.’
‘To those in the military and police force, and all in positions of public service, I appeal to you to stay faithful to your oath to the flag and our country and not to any particular personality,’ Advincula said in his pastoral statement released on Saturday.
‘Your fidelity to the Constitution is vital for the stability and integrity of our republic,’ he emphasized.
The cardinal said the challenges the country is currently facing demand not only ‘pragmatic solutions’ but also a ‘profound spiritual response.’
He called on every Filipino to live according to God’s will ‘so that integrity, accountability, truth, and justice may prevail.’
‘We must embark on a ‘Pilgrimage of Hope,’ which means seeking national renewal and collective action against the societal ills that plague us. We join the rest of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in the call for sustained supplication for mercy and renewal through prayer and concrete action for the common good,’ Advincula said.
He also urged the faithful to ‘pray for our beloved Philippines, for integrity to prevail, truth to be revealed, and justice to be served.’
On mass gatherings, do not let emotions prevail over reason
Advincula also called on the faithful to be ‘wise, critical, and discerning’ about the information they consume on social media, noting that some content can lead ‘to confusion, division, and a weakening of our moral compass.’
‘The virus of lies and disinformation, which some have called a ‘pandemic of lies,’ can paralyze our capacity to recognize truth and goodness. It is our Christian duty to verify the information we consume and to refrain from sharing what has not been authenticated. Let truth be our standard,’ the cardinal said.
Advincula also stressed that ‘in moments of mass gatherings and public discourse, we must not let emotion prevail over reason.’
‘We must always adhere to the rule of law and resist any calls for extra-constitutional means to solve our problems. Our loyalty must be to our country and its democratic principles, not to persons, and certainly not to other self-serving motivations,’ said the Manila archbishop.
Advincula’s appeal came ahead of the three-day ‘anti-corruption’ rally set by the Iglesia Ni Cristo and following the release of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co’s allegations implicating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former Speaker Martin Romualdez in the infrastructure projects corruption scandal.