Our friends at the Diocesan Electoral Board are taking steps to assure the public that it is a neutral organization, and that it has the track record necessary to oversee the holding of clean, honest and orderly elections in Negros Oriental.
A news story quoting DEB member Engr. Fred Magallano, which appears in this paper, said records will show that the group is composed of several unquestionable members, such as the following Church-based groups: Social Action Center, St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, National Movement for Free Elections, and PPCRV. There are also members who are not identified with the Church such as the Department of Education, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Information Agency, the media, AAGOGO, and the COMELEC. Working also on supportive roles are the churches to include the Roman Catholic Church, the UCCP and the Philippine Independent Church, campus youth ministries, teachers, IT practitioners, accountants, and lawyers of LENTE.
“We have been working harmoniously and very efficiently the past decade, nobody can accuse any member-group of imposing its beliefs, culture, teachings and leanings on one or the other. We have no plans on compromising our principles on neutrality and fairness, nor do we intend to change course in our commitment as a watchdog for the general citizenry during elections,” he further said.
This reaction is apparently in reaction to doubts cast by some quarters (the MetroPost included) on the credibility of the DEB, over the Pastoral Letter of the Dumaguete Diocese calling on all Roman Catholics (which we assume includes the convenors, and the members of the DEB) not to vote for Congressmen who voted for the RH Bill. This strikes a loud chord in Negros Oriental because one Representative who voted for the RH Bill is running for Governor here.
This is where it gets interesting. The DEB is citing its track record for the past several years as its qualification to be recognized as a neutral body, and that we do not question.
However, the Pastoral Letter, which was read in all Roman Catholic churches in the Diocese, was issued only last month. This is perhaps the only time since the EDSA uprising of 1986, and in the history of the DEB in Negros Oriental, that the Church has taken a definite political stand in pursuit of a certain bias.
Perhaps the DEB would like to examine its position, and categorically answer the following questions:
1. Does the Pastoral Letter compel obedience from the other Church officials who hold leadership roles in the DEB?
2. Are all Roman Catholics (members of the DEB included) bound to follow the decree posted in the said Pastoral Letter?
If the answer to the two questions is in the negative, then, the DEB may continue to unquestionably proclaim its being a neutral body.
But if the answer is in the affirmative, it behooves the convenors and the members of the DEB to work actively toward realizing the edict of the Pastoral Letter, and throw the principle of neutrality down the drain.
Then and only then can this “ignorance” as Engr. Magallano so flatly put it, be properly corrected.
