MANILA (PHILIPPINES)
Interaksyon/News5
October 17, 2017
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives has failed to renew the broadcast franchise of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for its television and radio service, which expired last August 7.
House Bill No. 4820 seeking the extension of the franchise for another 25 years was filed January this year, but it remained mired at the committee level.
“It has been referred to the committee on legislative franchises, and it is awaiting hearing,” Albay Representative Joey Salceda, the bill’s author, said. …
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The Church and the Duterte administration have been at odds over the rising number of deaths in the President’s war on drugs. The Church has also staunchly opposed the restoration of the death penalty, which the House approved on third and final reading. The Senate, however, has yet to act on the bill.
Last week, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez also slammed the bishops for not addressing the issue of sexual abuse by priests.
“Mga minor pinapatulan, ang dami nila … mga pedophiles, ayusin muna nila iyong hanay nila bago sila putak nang putak laban sa gobyerno (They prey on minors, so many of them … are pedophiles, let them clean up their ranks before criticizing government),” he had said.
He added that instead of homilies against the war on drugs, “bakit hindi sermunan iyong mga pari na ang daming ginagawang kabulastugan (why not direct the sermons on sinful priests)?”
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