Vice guv echoes CBCP call for credible elections
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - Vice Gov. Ronquillo Tolentino supports the call of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for electoral reforms and for a credible, violence-free mid-term elections.
"The CBCP's campaign for clean elections all the more emphasizes the importance of the electoral process to our democracy," he pointed out.
In a pastoral letter issued at the conclusion of the semi-annual plenary assembly , the CBCP vowed to be actively involved in the conduct of the polls and has tapped lay organizations led by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) in the monitoring of political campaigns, actual voting and the counting of ballots.

"It is time to come together and organize ourselves more effectively than we have done in the past. As a nation, we cannot afford yet another controversial electoral exercise that further aggravates social distrust and hopelessness," CBCP president Angel Lagdameo said.
Tolentino also supports the Catholic bishops’ campaign on electoral reforms involving the modernization of the election voting system and the reorganization of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure credible mid-term elections.

The pastoral letter issued by 99 bishops, at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila ’s Paco district, pointed to the conduct of past elections as hindrance in the economic development and social justice.

"Every parish organization and institution — and the basic ecclesiastical community, most especially — (must) be mobilized to the utmost to do what each can do towards that end," the CBCP said.

CBCP also called on Filipinos to organize themselves with church people to "help clean the dirt from the corrupted electoral process and move forward past unresolved issues - poll fraud accusations against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004 national elections.