The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting should be abolished because it no longer guides the electorate, Jose Rene Bullecer, president of the National Council of the Laity, said in Dumaguete City recently.

Bullecer called for the abolition of the council, and challenged church workers and religious organizations, including the PPCRV, to campaign for candidates who are pro-life, pro-God, pro-family, and pro-nature, from the barangays to national positions.

He said PPCRV members are now being neutralized, and cannot speak on whom to vote, because they are barred from speaking and campaigning.

If the church really wants its favored candidates to come out as winners in 2016, church workers and leaders should not be disenfranchised, they should come out and openly campaign for their candidates.

Bullecer's sentiments were shared by PPCRV member William Ablong, who is the president of the Diocesan Council of the Laity, and Msgr. Gamaliel Tulabing, parish priest of Sibulan and vicar general of the Diocese of Dumaguete.

Tulabing said he is not against church workers or members of mandated organizations in the church to run for public positions. He added he would not even require them to resign from their positions in the church, and will instead enjoin parishioners to support them because people see them for who they are.

They can run for public office and remain as lay ministers, members of Knights of Columbus, PPCRV volunteers, or members of other mandated organizations in the church, Tulabing stressed. He added if other religion groups can campaign for their chosen candidates, why can't the Catholic church.

Meanwhile, Bullecer said the call for the repeal of the Reproductive Health Law is a bit hopeless, with only 58 congressmen remaining on the side of the church, but he is still hoping for miracles to happen.

He said he hopes the next president will respect the stand of the Catholic church against the RH law and called on the clergy, the bishops and the priests to continue the fight.

He said it is disheartening and very discouraging to note a lukewarm attitude among the clergy in lowering their guards down with regards to the campaign initiated by the Human Life International Philippines and the Doctors for Life Philippines for the repeal of the RH Law.*JG

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