Villegas: Watch over elected officials 365 days
LINGAYEN—Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said part of democracy is to watch over elected public officials for 365 days a year.
Villegas, who voted in West Central Elementary School, Dagupan City, told local newsmen that he made an appeal for people to vote carrying with them their Christian faith.
He said part of “being citizens and as children of God” is to watch closely those leaders people have voted “if they really are working”.
“We should guard them (elected officials) 365 days [a year],” he said.
A day before the elections, Villegas issued a pastoral letter titled, “Show your Catholic faith as you vote”. It was read as homily in all Masses in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan on Ascension Sunday.
He reiterated his appeal to the barangay leaders who get elected not to allow themselves to be used as wards or armies of the higher-ups in government.
Villegas said, “Let the new barangay leaders stand up for the abused poor and the misled youth”.
“Here we invoke the principle of subsidiarity which means that the city or municipal government must take on the role of “harmonizing and guiding development”, helping to coordinate the interests of local communities and enterprises without taking over the legitimate functions of our barangays”, Villegas said. (Eva Visperas)
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