Spare the Cross from your politics, RTF-ELCAC tells CBCP

The Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) on Sunday called on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to avoid using the Cross in the name of Church politics, or risk “disrespecting the very essence of the Holy Week.”

Western Visayas RTF-ELCAC prosecutor 2 Flosemer Chris Gonzales made the remark after CBCP president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Good Friday stressed that "red-tagging" is one of the oldest strategies of corrupt politicians to stifle dissent, which is being used until now.

Bishop David cited the case of health worker Dr. Ma. Natividad "Naty" Castro who has worked among Lumad and poor communities, but is being accused of kidnapping and serious illegal detention by the Philippine National Police.

David also said that Jesus Christ Himself had fallen victim to "red-tagging," indicating that Pontius Pilate knew the truth about Christ, but “washed his hands” or refused to take responsibility for the accusations made by the people against Jesus.

But Gonzales belies David's red-tagging innuendo, saying that Jesus had been a victim of intrigues, but had not engaged the Pharisees and His other detractors in the arena of politics.

Further, Gonzales claimed that Jesus would not have supported Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Joma Sison, the CPP-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF), and their front organizations. 

“Christ is love. He is the Prince of Peace. He is not a politician. He is not a radical communist ideologue. Christ would have denounced the atrocities and the killings and the extortions committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF and with the support of their front organizations,” Gonzales pointed out.

“He did not radicalize his Apostles. He did not teach conflict, discord, violence, extortion, deceptive recruitment, and radical communist ideology to the 12 [disciples],” he added.

Gonzales further asked the Church “to respect the line” and not politicize such matters as the priests’ political preferences are “not necessarily binding on the laity.”

He claimed that “tragic consequences” occurred at times when the Church allowed itself to be used in politics such as the Inquisition, the colonization of African tribes, the colonization of the Philippines and other Asian countries, the conquest of several South American Indian tribes.

Gonzales on The Cross

“The cross has no political color. It is apolitical. It is nonpartisan. It does not espouse any ideology. It is not a propaganda tool. The cross is not intended to be used as props in political gimmickry or propaganda stunts by any group with a political or ideological agenda,” he said.

“There is a world of difference between Liberation theology, building the Church of the Poor, the preferential option for the Poor and using the Church as a medium for radicalization, a venue for political and ideological recruitment to serve the interests of a political party and or an organization with communist terrorist affiliations,” he added.

Gonzales also asked the Church to use the Holy Week as a time for prayer, reflection, meditation, and penance, and know the difference between a terrorist and a genuine human rights advocate.

A regional trial court dismissed the kidnapping and serious illegal detention case against Dr. Naty Castro and ordered authorities to release her from detention.

Malacañang earlier defended the arrest of Castro, saying it was not a case of red-tagging and proper procedures were followed. —LBG, GMA News