Bishop urges public: Pray for our political leaders

Amid the rift between two powerful political clans — the Marcoses and the Dutertes — a bishop called on the public to “pray for our political leaders.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, lamented that the “brewing political storm that our political leaders are facing has drained their energy to serve those in most need and the neglected.”

Advincula noted that the current events in the country “have been disconcerting” as many Filipinos still reel from the onslaught of the successive typhoons.

“I humbly exhort you all to pray for them that they may receive the grace to exercise statesmanship in most trying times so that sobriety may prevail in our land and that political issues and personal interests may not divide the nation,” Advincula said.

“It is our prayer that they may have the humility to listen to each other with respect and act together for the sake of the country,” he added.

The prelate also asked the leaders “from different sectors of our society to do what they can to prevent the escalation of political and personal conflicts.”

“Let us all pray for forgiveness and reconciliation, never doubting God's grace and love for His people,” Advincula continued.

“In Jesus, the Good Shepherd, I entrust you all who are called to serve the common good. May Almighty God bless our beloved country.”

On Tuesday, Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, rector of EDSA Shrine also called for proper decorum as hundred gathered in the sacred place “for reasons only known to them, and for some, unknown to them."

This after several Duterte loyalists urged fellow supporters to hold their own people power movement to express their dissatisfaction with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration.

On Tuesday, the National Bureau of Investigation summoned Vice President Sara Duterte for questioning over her weekend statements that she had contracted someone to assassinate Marcos if she were to be killed.

Meanwhile, Marcos said in a national address on Monday that he would fight “reckless and troubling threats” against him and would not allow such criminal attempts to pass, without naming Duterte.