BANGKOK, Thailand, April 16, 2010--Senior Buddhist, Christian and Muslim leaders have jointly expressed their concern over the political crisis gripping Thailand and called for prayers by both individuals and religious organizations.

MANILA, April 15, 2010- The country's leading prelates said the country's politicians and voters must learn to look at the recent past to learn lessons on leadership and dedication to duty. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales said important issues take the back seat as the campaign season turn fever pitch during the last couple of weeks before the May 10, 2010 local and national polls.

VATICAN, April 12, 2010-- Vatican officials have rebutted allegations that the future Pope Benedict XVI stalled on a priestly sex abuse case in 1985, and said critics have misunderstood the fundamental church procedures in use at the time. The Associated Press reported that then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger resisted pleas to defrock Father Stephen Kiesle, a California priest with a record of sexually molesting children. It cited a letter from Cardinal Ratzinger, who was head of the Vatican's doctrinal congregation, advising further study of the case for "the good of the universal church."

In Thai society, religion is seen as unrelated to politics. The current political conflict is destroying our society and divided the people, but religious organizations are passive about it. "Being neutral" is seen as not doing anything - which is wrong.

One great lesson our 1986 EDSA Revolution taught us is that power should not be held too long or it will lead to paranoia and stifle genuine democratic development. Thus, our Constitution provided for term limits. Indeed, the ultimate test of leadership is letting go of power as Cory Aquino did even when she was legally qualified to run again.

News about incumbent government officials jumping ship or abandoning the Lakas-Kampi-CMD have filled the headlines of major news networks almost everyday. The administration party's presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro has been trying to downplay these defections by saying that it would make the party stronger as these have the effect of cleansing the party ranks of those who are ambivalent regarding their support for his candidacy. But as the defections increase, Teodoro's chances of winning are getting dimmer because his survey ratings are hardly increasing - he is in a close fight for fourth place with Sen. Richard Gordon but both are way below the ratings of third-placer former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada - and the much-vaunted Lakas-Kampi-CMD machinery appears to be in disarray and dissipating. Party elder former House Speaker Prospero Nograles is even threatening to split the party ranks.

LEGAZPI CITY, April 14, -- The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) assured the public that there will be an adequate power supply on the scheduled national and local elections on May 10, this year. Office of Civil Defense (OCD) director Raffy Alejandro said the various disaster council will be ready with functional electric generator sets for deployment as backup power supply in case power brownouts on the election day.

Many party-list groups that have successfully made it to Comelec's accredited list have questionable nominees and strong links to Ms. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said election watchdog Kontra Daya (Against Cheating) and Kabataan (Youth) Party-list. For nominees, these party-list groups teem with millionaires, former government officials, former police and military officials, even incumbent government officials. Many are proven allies of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In fact, based on the investigation of Kontra Daya, some are members of her family, and they include a son and various close relatives.

DARAGA, Albay, April 14 -- Three people died and another injured on Tuesday in the worst vehicular accident that occurred here, a ranking police official said Wednesday. Police identified the fatalities as Fernando Lisay, 32, Christopher Attractivo, 17 both of barangay Balinad, this town, and Junely Espinas, 19 of barangay Penafrancia while the injured was Jay-R Lasi, 16, of Kimantong, all in Daraga town.

PILI, Camarines Sur, April 14 -- Army soldiers recovered two high powered assault rifles following a clash on Monday with communist rebels in a village in Panganiban town in Catanduanes, an Army officer said.