NO, this is not about the hottest showbiz scandal of recent days.

This story on “hope” involves a man of the cloth and a senatorial candidate.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch critic of the Arroyo administration, was visited Tuesday at the Archbishops’ Palace by senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson who is running under the Geniune Opposition flag. He was joined later by GO candidate Rep. Alan Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros.

Cruz said has started mobilizing  priests in his archdiocese as well as laymen under the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting to be more vigilant  in upholding  Honest, Peaceful, Orderly Elections, or H.O.P.E.

Lacson, on the other hand, who anchors his campaign and program of governance also on HOPE, said his stands for Health, Order, Progress and Education.

The two have been close allies in the fight against the illegal numbers game called jueteng which was the subject of a senate investigation last year. The senate inquiry exposed the extent  of the illegal operations and those benefiting from it, implicating some members of the top officials in the country, including allegedly some members of the First Family.

“Nagkataong pareho kami ni Archbishop ng acronym ng aming advocacy (It’s a coincidence that we both have the same acronym for our advocacy),” Lacson told local reporters here during a campaign sortie.

During their dialogue, Cruz shared with the senator a confidential report about jueteng operations in the country.

Lacson said he has urged Senator Lito Lapid, chair of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement, to resume the deferred jueteng probe in the hope that the suspended inquiry will finally lead to a conclusive finding.

He added that Lapid agreed to it but he (Lapid) will inhibit himself during  the resumption of the hearing since his political opponent in Pampanga is reportedly involved in it if only to avoid giving the inquiry any political color.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME

Cruz, for his part, said anyone who visits him is welcome for as long as he is around.

Opposition senatorial aspirant Cayetano arrived later from Baguio to pay his respects to the archbishop.

“I am not exactly known to be a lover and an admirer of the national leadership. But I have no fight with the administration candidates per se and I have no bias also per se in favor of the opposition candidates,” Cruz pointed out.

Administration senatorial bet Tito Sotto also visited the prelate earlier.

Cruz said he has alerted his men in the archdiocese to take a more active role this coming May elections and help candidates who possess three important qualifications: integrity, capacity and “winnability”.

He said he believes both Lacson and Cayetano possess these standards.

Cruz also launched a campaign to his parishioners to avoid soliciting or accepting anything from the candidates.—EVA

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