We the Christians for National Liberation (CNL) strongly condemn the
most heinous desecration in bombing the Jolo Cathedral. We express our
sympathies to the families of the victims. We view this incident as a
justification to extend Martial Law in Mindanao and the
counterinsurgency plan Oplan Kapayapaan. It could also mean to
railroad the current efforts to amend the Human Security Act of 2007 or
the Anti-Terror Law. The timing of the incident is suspect as a reaction
to the successful activity held recently where church leaders from
various faith denominations including victims expressed their voices
to what is happening to the country under this present dispensation, and
calling for the President’s ouster .

The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines, gathered for their annual plenary assembly, came up with their statement on the bombing incident said “Conquer Evil with Good” was very much timely acknowledging that faith is the source of strength for the people, and that for them “No amount of intimidation or even threat to our lives will make us give up our prophetic role, especially that of giving voice to the voiceless.”

For us the statement lacks Jesus’ militancy, despite their stand on saving the children and the war on drugs. There are so many life and death issues affecting the people that could have been addressed. As shepherds of the flock mere spiritualizing the issues using Scriptural passages is not enough, as the faithful will interpret it, as prolonging and justifying their suffering similar to what the Spanish friars did.

This is just to manifest the shepherd’s practice of speaking behind their “gold plated” pulpits instead of going down to the sheep being attacked, coating their spoken words with their pledge to “be a voice to the voiceless” which are empty . We gratefully appreciate though some shepherds who witnessed and actively participated the “One Faith, One Nation,One Voice” activity as their prophetic voice were heard together with the victims. May their “tribe” increase as the people need more shepherds like them. As what Evangelii Nuntiandi said “ Today people listen more to witnesses than teachers, because if ever they listen to teachers it is because they became witnesses”.

We call on all Catholic Bishops to go out and be true shepherds to your flock..heed the call of Pope Francis…to “smell like the sheep” and not just preach behind “gold plated pulpits” rather journey and engage with them in their life and death struggles for “life in all its fullness”.