Palace bet has upper hand in CBCP presidency
By Aries Rufo, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak | 07/08/2009 6:52 PM
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MANILA - As Filipino Catholic bishops cloister themselves for a four-day retreat this week, a silent campaign is also going on at the Betania retreat in Tagaytay where they are currently billeted. It is a campaign that may define how the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is still relevant—or has become irrelevant—in these challenging times.
The Catholic hierarchy is set to elect this week its new set of officers. Unlike in the past, the potential candidates this time are far and between.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales should be perfect for the role but he has twice turned down the position even when it was offered to him in a silver platter. Besides he is 77 years old and is supposed to have retired already.
The following are the potential frontrunners in the race to the presidency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), according to Church sources interviewed by abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak:
- Current CBCP vice president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar
- If the bishops will revert to tradition, Odchimar being the second-in-command now is the obvious replacement for Lagdameo.
- A bishop said Odchimar has the support of the Mindanao bloc, which is composed of around 20 bishops.
- Some bishops in Luzon are also expected to vote for him.
- He is considered as the Palace's bet for the CBCP presidency.
- Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso
- If seniority will prevail, he may provide competition to the presidency, one source said.
- He is a canon law expert.
- His politics leans on the center.
- Palo Archbishop Jose Palma
- Like Medroso, Palma’s political leaning is on the center.
- Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo Valles
- His peers in the Mindanao bloc might prefer the low-key Odchimar instead.
Cutthroat race
Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar appears to be Malacanang’s bet for the CBCP presidency this year. Last Monday, a source disclosed that Odchimar was among those invited to the Palace for a meeting, which Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo supposedly arranged. Odchimar was with a group of bishops from Mindanao led by Butuan Bishop Juan de dios Pueblos.
With a government that’s openly courting bishops for support, a Church source said the campaign for this year’s presidency is up a notch higher, for the CBCP’s and Malacanang’s interests.
Previously conducted in the spirit of collegiality and tradition, the CBCP elections in the recent past have become a cutthroat competition.
Breaking tradition and the influence of politics started in the 2007 election.
Then the vice president, Cagayan de Oro Bishop Antonio Ledesma was up for a re-election. He was elected into the position in 2005. As an officer of the permanent council, or the policy-making body that includes the CBCP president, Ledesma is entitled to a two-term tenure, or four years in office.
In practice, a prelate said the vice-president succeeds the CBCP president, thus Ledesma's re-election in 2007 would have just been a token effort.
Breaking tradition, a group of bishops, identified as generally supportive of President Arroyo, installed Odchimar as vice-president.
Some bishops said this development "spoke volumes" since "this has never happened before." Odchimar's election as vice-president assumed political color.
With Ledesma out of the way, church sources said they say the writing on the wall. Ledesma’s politics leans more on the critical side against the Arroyo government.
For the CBCP, the new president may yet reinforce the CBCP’s image as moral guide or may be seen as rubber stamp of Malacanang. For Malacanang, the new president may yet be a thorn in the side--or a blessing.
Moral authority
The July plenary assembly is the last to be presided by current CBCP president Angel Lagdameo. Before the week ends, a new CBCP president and a new set of permanent council members would have been elected. This new set of officers will set the pace and the agenda of the CBCP for at least the next four years.
In a predominantly Catholic nation, the CBCP has become the country's authoritative moral compass—a role that was defined by the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin. Since Sin passed away in 2005, CBCP's credibility has been largely dependent on its president, the surrogate moral head.
President Arroyo has witnessed three leadership transitions in the CBCP and the July election will be its fourth. Under the two previous CBCP presidents--Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla and Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo—State and Church relations were generally cordial and friendly. But under Lagdameo, the CBCP has resumed a critical role (Read CBCP's Cha-cha position.)
As the face of the Church, the CBCP--specifically its president--has grown in influence and clout in the political sphere. This is not lost to some bishops.
“Unlike in the past where there are no takers to the posts, this time, there is active campaigning,” said a high-ranking CBCP member.
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