In a fighting mood, House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez yesterday launched a “war” against the Catholic Church for allegedly interfering in government affairs in connection with the death penalty bill as he chided one Church leader for his alleged distorted reasoning on the issue.
This developed as members of the House minority bloc lauded Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, one of principal authors of the death penalty bill, for allowing opposition solons “to vote in accordance with their conscience” on the issue.
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza, a pro-life advocate, said that while the minority bloc usually votes as a group, the death penalty bill will be an exemption.
In the case of the super majority bloc headed by Alvarez, PDP-Laban solons, comprising the biggest group in the coalition, were directed to toe the party line which supports President Duterte’s stand for the immediate restoration of the death penalty.
“Pambihira naman, sa lahat nga, eto lang Simbahang Katoliko ang masyadong nakikialam sa gobyerno,” Alvarez stated in a live telephone patch interview.
“Pambihira naman, tabingi na ang utak ng Bishop Cruz na ‘yan” Alvarez said, referring to Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz.
Alvarez, Duterte’s personal choice to head the powerful Malacanang-backed super majority in the House, was irked at Cruz’s earlier media interview in which the outspoken but retired Church official chided him for “playing God” for cracking the whip on congressmen who will vote against the restoration of the death penalty.
“Bakit pati trabaho ko pinakikialaman niya? Kumandidato na rin kaya siya,” Alvarez stated during the interview.
(Ben R. Rosario)