MANILA - This is one changing of the guards that Malacañang is keenly watching.

The Catholic hierarchy is set to elect this week its new set of officers in a leadership change that may redefine the Church’s political role in the next four years.

Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are in now Tagaytay for a four-day retreat in preparation for their two-day plenary assembly this weekend.

The CBCP meets twice a year, in January and July, where they discuss administrative matters and tackle social and political issues on the side.

But the plenary this month draws greater significance than the previous ones as they elect new members of its permanent council.

It is also the last plenary to be presided by Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, who will relinquish his post in December. Lagdameo was elected twice as president of the CBCP.

To the CBCP, the election of new members of the permanent council may not make a huge difference in terms of administrative matters. But the impact may be felt more politically.

Void left by Sin

Following the death of Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, the Church has been tying to fill up a void that the prelate left behind, especially in the political arena.

For decades, Sin was the Catholic Church’s poster boy on church-state relations, and this he validated by playing a major role in the ouster of two chief executives, the late Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada, in two "people power" revolutions.

Sin single-handedly shaped and defined where the Church fits in the political life of the country, and his death in 2005 created a vacuum of leadership.

His protégées, like Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas, are still deemed too young or inexperienced to fill the vacuum left by Sin.

Sin’s replacement, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, has opted to maintain a low-key role in politics, although he is not beyond exerting influence from time to time on his pet issues.

For instance, Rosales successfully intervened in the cause of the farmers fighting for land rights in Sumilao, Bukidnon.

CBCP chief's new role

With Rosales redefining the Manila archbishop's historical role as center of Church intervention, the CBCP president has thus become the surrogate face of the Church’s role in politics. The CBCP president’s political orientation may be a blessing or a thorn on the side of the administration.

For example, during the terms of Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla and Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, the CBCP was basically supportive of President Arroyo. However, Lagdameo was generally critical of her administration.

It was during Lagdameo’s presidency that the CBCP sought to “ferret out the truth” in the "Hello Garci" wiretap election scandal in 2005. There were strong indications then that some bishops wanted to call for Arroyo’s resignation, but those supportive of Arroyo were able to bring the CBCP stand to the middle.

With Lagdameo bowing out of the CBCP presidency, the next leader has the option to sustain the CBCP’s critical role--or change it altogether.