INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

Former Catholic priest eyes Zamboanga City mayoral seat

Mindanao Bureau

Julie Alipala

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- A former Catholic priest is planning to join the mayoral race in Zamboanga City, and a Church-based poll watchdog is in a quandary if it can still freely perform its poll duties, an official said.

Monsignor David Alonso, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga, said former Catholic priest Crisanto dela Cruz had expressed plans to run for mayor.

"We are still trying to discern if we need to operate and be part of the poll duties through PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting)," Alonso said. "One of our priests is running for election and people might feel suspicious if we go on poll watching and counting."

The PPCRV has banded with the National Movement for Free Elections and the Catholic Bishops’ Council of the Philippines’ National Secretariat for Social Action to conduct a national quick count in the May elections.

In the meantime, the Catholic Church and peace advocates have launched the "Peace Vote" campaign here.

Alonso said the Catholic Church's Social Action Program and the Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ) were spearheading the "Peace Vote," a campaign to educate voters so they would have informed choices in the May 14 elections.

"It's an apostolic campaign along with inter-religious dialogue. It's a political education so that even the ordinary people or voters will have a better choice for the election," Alonso said.

Claretian Missionary Father Angel Calvo, executive secretary general of PAZ, said the "Peace Vote" would be a way to bring peace to the electoral process.

"The peace element should be a very significant element in the exercise of choosing leadership in the country, particularly in Mindanao," Calvo said.

Calvo said members and leaders of various academic and religious groups of Zamboanga City, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-tawi Coalition of Peace Advocates (ZACOPA) were also participating in the "Peace Vote" campaign.

"We want every vote cast to promote peace and decrease conflict," Calvo said. He added that majority of the candidates from the national to local levels were "very manipulative, using money for their manipulation and giving fake promises."

Copyright 2010 INQUIRER.net and content partners. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.