Roy Lagarde | Vox Bikol

Roy Lagarde

Roy Lagarde

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Church Apologizes for Sins Against Indigenous People (Church National)

BAGUIO CITY, October 13, 2010 - Addressing the "sins" it committed against the tribal communities, the Catholic Church has begged for forgiveness from the indigenous peoples and vowed to do everything possible to protect them.

By: Roy Lagarde

Cebu's New Archbishop is Human Rights Advocate (Church National)

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.

By:

Roy Lagarde &

Melo M. Acuña

Economist Debunks Claim of Population Explosion in RP (Church National)

MANILA, Oct. 6, 2010-Is the Philippine population indeed a ticking time bomb as proponents of RH bill say so? One of the country's economists and academicians thinks otherwise.

Dr. Bernardo Villegas, PhD, calling himself a long-term student of demography, claimed that the country's population data is a "statistical abracadabra."

By:

Pinky Barrientos, FSP &

Roy Lagarde

Hundreds Gather for Quaipo Anti-contraception Rally (Church National)

MANILA, Oct. 2, 2010-Hundreds of people trooped to Quiapo Church for a "pro-life" prayer rally that included a Catholic archbishop who urged the government to rethink its position on contraception.

The rally included students and parents. Many waved graphic signs with pictures of aborted fetuses.

A group of rallyists, for instance, were holding a streamer bearing a sign of "Kontrasepsyon Bahagi ng Globalisasyon (contraception a part of globalization)."

By: Roy Lagarde

8 Bishops Get Jueteng Payola Too—Cruz (Church National)

MANILA, Sept. 14, 2010-Not just government officials but even some Catholic bishops are receiving payola from the illegal numbers game called jueteng.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz admitted he is saddened with what is happening but these church officials are getting jueteng money as donations from the illegal gambling operators.

"There are about 12 dioceses that we are looking into but we are most certain of the eight (dioceses that are getting jueteng money)," he said.

By: Roy Lagarde

Bishop Disappointed by MILF’s Threats (Church National)

MANILA, August 13, 2010- A Catholic bishop said he was disappointed with the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front's threat of a renewed hostility in Southern Philippines.

The comments from Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo follow after the government on Friday belittled the MILF's threat for war if the peace talks do not resume soon.

On Tuesday, MILF chair Ebrahim Murad said they are prepared for any eventualities in case the planned Malaysian-brokered peace negotiation with the new Aquino administration falter.

By: Roy Lagarde

Cruz Urges Neri to 'clear his name' (Church National)

MANILA, June 23, 2010-Romulo Neri needs to tell the truth about the botched NBN-ZTE deal, and who are the involved government officials-before it's too late, a Catholic prelate said.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz believes the outgoing Social Security System president is an "honest and competent" person had he not tried to protect the Arroyo government.

It's just "unfortunate," he said, that Neri, who was then director of the National Economic Development Authority, was identified with the outgoing administration.

By: Roy Lagarde

Bishop Urges Aquino to Stop Jueteng (Church National)

MANILA, June 11, 2010- A Catholic bishop called on the incoming administration to be active in the campaign to eliminate "all unlawful gambling," especially jueteng.

Bangued Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian said president-elect Benigno Aquino III should also turn his attention to the illegal numbers game and to jueteng lords who remain untouchable.

"It will be a miracle (if Aquino could stop jueteng) but we are hoping he could do something about it," Jaucian said.

The bishop said jueteng has been a problem that past administrations have failed to totally eradicate.

By: Roy Lagarde

Rosales Calls for Unity After Elections (Church National)

MANILA, June 11, 2010- Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales issued an Independence Day call for unity after Benigno Aquino III was proclaimed president.

Rosales said the public should do away things that divide the nation and instead focus on things that could push the country forward.

"This is my prayer as we celebrate our Independence Day and the entry of the country's next leaders," Rosales said over church-run Radyo Veritas.

By: Roy Lagarde

Bishops to Aquino: Abolish Pork Barrel (Church National)

MANILA, June 3, 2010- Catholic bishops on Thursday called on the incoming president to abolish one of the "biggest source" of funds for corruption: pork barrel.

By: Roy Lagarde