ATTY. GEORGE C. DEE REPLIES TO MS. RINA JIMENES DAVID'S COLUMN 'Friars and Bishops'

The Manila Metropolitan Cathedral the Philippines' holiest place is desecrated by Mr. Carlos Cedran by disrupting the Holy Mass and by shouting against the Bishops and priests worshipping peacefully inside. This man violated the rights of our Bishops and Priests for peaceful worship yet for some columnists they are still treating this guy a sort of a hero.

Ms. Rina David's column "Friars and Bishops

Mr. Editor,

In Ms Rina David-Jimenez's column item (PDI 10/5) on "Friars and Bishops", she says the arrest and detention of Carlos Celdran for the disruption of a religious ceremonies inside the Manila Cathedral "speaks of lingering vestiges of Church power and influence." She stated that the Church has "effectively lost ground in the arena of public opinion"

First, as a lay Catholic, I am deeply offended and resent the rude act of Mr. Celdran as an assault of our Christian faith in the hallow ground of the Cathedral. No, Ms David, Celdran did not embarrass the bishops there, it was he who made a fool of himself and should be the one embarrassed for his disregard to the sensibility of others. I join the more decent part of our people in denouncing his arrogant act.

For his disruption of a religious proceeding, he infringed on our penal laws punishing such acts that insults one's faith regardless of religious affiliation. His arrest and detention are fully justified as simply the natural course in the regular enforcement of the law, having committed an offense, in flagrante. If he were arrested a day or two later, that would be unwarranted and illegal.

There is therefore entirely no basis to say or suspect that such normal recourse to the ordinary processes of the law in Celdran's case entailed the exercise of "lingering vestiges" of the "power and influence of the Church". Such a reckless statement without any factual foundation betrays one's malice and repugnance towards the Church and the faith it represents - Catholicism.

That the Church "has effectively lost the ground in the arena of public opinion" is a perception spawned by a massive dose of Catholic-bashing nowadays, particularly fostered in the media to secularize the public square. The overwhelming majority of the Filipinos remain faithful to the Church.

Thank you.

Atty. George C. Dee

Couples for Christ-Foundation for Family and Life Laguna District

October 5, 2010 9:34 PM