Holy Week challenge to GMA: ADMIT, REPENT for SINS against the nation

As Malacañang expressed confidence for Team Unity candidates' victory
in the May 2007 elections, the Promotion of Church People's Response
(PCPR) called on Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to publicly admit and
repent for her sins this Holy Week.

"The Holy Week is a time to engage in solemn prayers, reflections,
fasting and other traditional ways of repenting and asking the Lord's
forgiveness for our sins. Repentance should be a humbling act for
those who are willing to admit misdeeds. But for those who are
unwilling, we will never see any sign of repentance. To date, there is
no sign of admittance and repentance from the part of Mrs Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo, Virgilio Garcillano, Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane and all
other conspirators on the massive fraud in the 2004 elections. Instead
of repentance, the Arroyo camp is arrogantly engaged in constant
denial and cover-up of cheating, stealing and political killings,"
PCPR noted.

"Why is GMA confident of victory for administration candidates? As in
the 2004 elections, the Arroyo camp is confident for having access to
needed resources and machinery in favor of administration candidates.
Malacañang will not think twice in launching another season of
electoral fraud to prevent an opposition win that could spell a
successful impeachment against Arroyo," Fr. Jerry Sabado, OCarm – PCPR
Spokesperson noted.

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GMA, military emboldened by Cardinal Rosales' views on political killings

As GMA congratulated the military for 'job well done,' PCPR also
expressed concern that the 'blessings' of a bishop my have emboldened
Malacañang to ignore criticisms from church, multisectoral groups,
media and international human rights groups on the issues of political
killings and urban militarization.

In a 3-page Lenten message entitled "A CALL FOR THE CHURCH LEADERS AND
LAY FAITHFUL TO DEFEND LIFE AT ALL COST," PCPR noted, "Many of us were
shocked and disappointed when Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales was recently
quoted on his view on the wave of extra-judicial killings under Arroyo
as 'mere specks of blood' compared to the number of political murders
and human rights violations committed during the term of the late
dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Apparently, the latest pronouncements of
Cardinal Rosales effectively emboldened Arroyo to congratulate and
give her go-signal for the military to continue their unwanted
presence and operations in Metro communities. The military is equally
emboldened to deny accountability even as they further engage in
extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, warrantless arrests
and other atrocities."

Reference: Fr. Jerry Sabado, OCarm – PCPR Spokesperson

Amie Dural – PCPR Secretary General

Contact: 410723 Email: pcprnatl@gmail.com

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