Cebu's New Archbishop is Human Rights Advocate

MANILA, Oct. 15, 2010-A known human rights advocate is the new archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu in a papal appointment announced Friday.

Palo Archbishop Jose Palma will replace Ricardo Cardinal Vidal whose resignation was finally accepted by Pope Benedict XVI.

Vidal has submitted to the Holy Father his letter of resignation in 2006 when he turned 75 years old.

Palma's appointment was made at the Vatican at noon (6 p.m. Manila time) on October 15, 2010.

In the Philippines, the announcement was made by the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, in a communiqué sent to the CBCP Media Office in Manila.

Reached by CBCPNews for his reaction, Palma said he is sincerely grateful for his most recent appointment as Cebu Archbishop.

Palma said he is "overwhelmed by the love of God" and the trust of the Holy Father.

"Unworthy as I am, I accepted the appointment out of obedience," he said.

The Cebu-archbishop elect was a vocal opponent of extra-judicial killings in Samar Island.

Palma was then the bishop of Calbayog when retired Army General Jovito Palparan was still the commanding officer of the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan, Samar.

At that time, Palma did not mince words in telling the public that the military under the command Palparan was responsible for the numerous reports on human rights violations there.

He also pressed the government to pursue criminal prosecution of the retired military officer.

As bishop of Calbayog, he joined the other bishops of Samar in crusading for environmental preservation and protection of the island.

It was in March 2006 when the 60-year old prelate was appointed as Archbishop of Palo in Leyte province.

Palma was born in Dingle, Iloilo on March 19, 1950. He studied his philosophy at St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary and his theology at St. Joseph Regional Seminary.

He then earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila, and his doctorate at the St. Thomas Aquinas Pontifical University in Rome.

Palma was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Jaro on August 21, 1976. After a year as parochial vicar at the Jaro Cathedral, he was given a teaching assignment in St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary.

He then became rector of the St. Joseph Regional Seminary. At the same time he occupied several positions in the diocese. In 1997 he became the parish priest of the Parish of St. Anthony of Padua in Jaro.

In 1998, he was named Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu by then Pope John Paul II. A year later, he was transferred to the Diocese of Calbayog.

Palma is currently serving his first term as vice president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philipines. (Roy Lagarde and Melo M. Acuña)