Navarra could face
election offense suit
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The head of the Legal Department of the Commission on Elections late yesterday asked Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra to have the oversized “Team Patay/Team Buhay” tarpaulin in front of the San Sebastian Cathedral removed, otherwise, the COMELEC will be constrained to file an election offense case against him.

“We pray that the Catholic Church will be the first institution to help the Commission on Elections in ensuring the conduct of peaceful, orderly, honest and credible elections,” COMELEC Legal Department Director IV, Esmeralda Amora-Ladra, wrote.

The bishop, through his lawyer, Mitchelle Abella, had asked on Monday for a definitive ruling by the COMELEC Legal Department on the tarpaulin that lists the names of senatorial candidates and partylist groups to support and not to support for their stance on the Reproductive Health Law.

Grievances vs.
diocese aired at CBCP
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Leaders of partylist groups included in the “Team Patay” list of the Diocese of Bacolod yesterday called the branding unfair, saying they have consistently fought for life, and worked alongside the Church on many causes in defense of the Filipino people.

In Manila, different groups led by Akbayan Partylist trooped to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) main office yesterday, to personally deliver a “letter of appeal” addressed to CBCP President Archbishop Jose Palma against the “Team Patay/Team Buhay” list of the Diocese of Bacolod.

The list indentifies senatorial candidates and partylist groups whom the faithful should support or reject in the polls, for their stance on the reproductive health law.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said those questioning the donations being given by the city means they do not want the teachers to be given their allowances.

This was his reaction to the allegations of their political opponents who claimed that the city had spent a very big amount on donations.

Leonardia said the word “donation” is a term required by the Commission on Audit for certain disbursements of government. That is generic, he said.