RH Controversy: Scratching the Itch

Yesterday (25 April 2011), I read in PD Inquirer the reasons of the INC regarding their support to the RH Bill. What caught my eye was their stand that natural family planning method is immoral and against the commandments of God. My reaction was, “The last nail in the coffin of the Anti-RH bill people had been driven.” Aside from being very influential, the INC made the right way in arguing with the Catholic Church: it supported with Biblical evidence its rebuttal of the RC’s supposedly-Bible-based arguments. In the past, I maintained my stand in a previous article in this blog that the RC’s arguments against the RH bill reduces sex into nothing but an act of procreation no different from the animals. Now here comes the INC with the Biblical arguments! Yes!

Let me just scratch this itch. Hehehe

These bishops and priests should stop acting as if the Philippines is still in Spanish time where friars reign supreme. Carlos Celdran is right in calling them what they really are: Damaso. I am bristling when I read a few weeks back the news item headlined, “Cardinal Sanchez returns from Rome to fight RH bill.” I see this statement as reflective of the mindset of today’s priests and bishops: feeling as “conquistadores.”

Now here is my itch: I want to tell the bishops and priests, if they have not known it yet, that the RC had long ceased to be a factor in Philippine politics. They are exactly nothing, zero, ziltch, nada, compared to the Iglesia ni Cristo. Just look at the politicians during election time. Who reaches out to get the support of the RC? Nobody! The nearest that the RC can claim to influencing voters during elections is through El Shaddai, an organization that it sometimes disown! It is the Iglesia who holds sway of the politicians.

This is especially felt in the Philippine National Police. In the PNP, being a Roman Catholic has exactly zero value. In 99% of the key field positions in the PNP nowadays, YOU NEED THE APPROVAL OF THE LOCAL MINISTER OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO to be appointed. To get this approval, you need to write to the “Pinunong Pangkalahatan, Eduardo Manalo” a LETTER OF APPEAL OR REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE. You are required to write this letter IN A YELLOW PAD AND IN YOUR OWN HANDWRITING! The best part? You cannot send this letter through mail or courier. You have to go to the nearest INC chapel and personally hand this to the presiding minister and couple this with a personal appeal as you are also required to get the "Patotoo" of that minister. It will be the minister who will eventually send your letter to Eduardo Manalo together with his "Patotoo".

This is because RA 6975 provides that it is the local chief executive (mayors and governors) who has the final say in the appointment of the Chief of Police and Provincial Director. And who dictates these mayors and governors? Tada! You are right, it is the minister of the local INC chapel! Now for the RDs and the NHQ level position, it is the "Palasyo Central" in No.1 Central Avenue cor Commonwealth Avenue, Bgy New Era, Quezon City that calls the shots, considering their influence over the President and the senior PNP members who compose the SOPPB. The PNP needs to transmit to the “Palasyo Central” the results of the SOPPB deliberations for final approval before orders are finally cut and issued.

If you look at the roster of Chiefs of Police and Station Commanders in Metro Manila, you will see that several of them had taken the extra step beyond writing the letter. They converted and were baptized to the INC before they got the position. So there goes your excommunication threat to the President, bishops and fathers (Damaso). Hahaha!