Bishops refuse to call for Corona’s resignation

MEMBERS of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) refused to issue a statement calling for the resignation of Chief Justice Renato Corona, who is now under trial for graft and corruption, among other offenses.

Instead, the bishops called on stakeholders in the impeachment trial to expedite the process so that the country can “return to normalcy.”

CBCP vice president Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the poor has been suffering so much already that it should not be worsened anymore by the trial.

“The impeachment process is not part of the normal life of a country and, therefore, the sooner we resolve this, the better so that we can return to normalcy and attend to the needs of the poor right away,” he told reporters after the 104th CBCP Plenary Assembly at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila.

The prelates noted how the poor have become the “silent victims” of the impeachment process of Corona as they are being deprived of the needed attention.

“Government services are delayed or not delivered because we are so concerned with the process. The distribution of land, aquatic, housing, environmental problems and these are put on the sidelines because of the impeachment process,” Villegas said.

Over the weekend, political analyst Ramon Casiple said Corona may step down if the bishops call for it.

But even without a pastoral letter stating the appeal for Corona to quit, one of his spokespersons believed Corona will finish the legal fight.

Report from Sun.Star