Entry of religious leaders in politics assessed
SINCERE intentions or a “divide and conquer” scheme?
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said the expressed intent of several religious leaders to run for the presidential race in 2010 could very well be a sincere effort to bring about good governance in the country.
But he cautioned that it could also very well be prompted by the present administration as part of a “Divide and Conquer” scheme that will benefit its endorsed candidate.
Cruz, former president of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said in an interview with The PUNCH that Malacanang could be encouraging the entry of these candidates so that support in the opposition will be spread out among several contenders.
“This means that the vote of the people will be divided not only among the opposition candidates but these ‘religious pretenders’ such that the Malacañang candidate would be in a better position even with minority votes,” Cruz said.
“It is also possible that the same religious figures are really fed up with the immoral litany of misdeeds, lies and dishonesty of the present administration that they have become convinced that being men of supposed integrity and uprightness should already enter the political arena especially in the pursuit of the presidential office,” Cruz said.
“Personally I am convinced it is the second consideration that is foremost in the mind of the priest concerned plus the two other lay charismatic leaders,” he added.
Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, a Catholic priest-turned-politician, was the first to declare his intent to run for president in 2010, followed by Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord Movement, and most recently Bro. Eddie Mike Velarde of El Shaddai.#
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