By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano and several Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members have been banned from receiving Catholic sacraments from the municipal parish church.
Parish priest Fr. Greg Patiño’s declaration at the Immaculate Conception Parish Church on Sunday left Montelibano in disbelief. The mayor described the move as a “work of demons.”
“By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Catholic Church, I declare that, starting today, the mayor of Murcia, along with all SB members, could no longer receive any sacrament from this parish church,” Patiño said.
He said the municipal government resolution seeking to oust him and the municipal parochial vicar, Fr. Agustin Inayan, was “an insult not only to us but to the bishop (Bishop Vicente Navarra) most of all.”
Others banned from receiving sacraments were SB members Luis Antonio Gonzaga, Johnny Reosura, Ruel Villarosa, Ajun Santiago, Sheila Gela, Norberto de los Reyes, Nick Constantino and Belen Magbanua. Vice Mayor Gerry Rojas is not a parishioner, while SB member Adrian Olimpo Sr. is a Protestant.
Officials led by Montelibano passed the resolution over the priests’ criticism of the town’s alleged inaction on illegal drugs and illegal gambling.
Patiño said the Church teaches the Christian doctrine, and sanctifies, governs and educates people. “We just educate the people about the evil effects of gambling and drugs. Along with pastors and school officials in Murcia, we wrote a letter to the mayor to address the situation. We never expected a negative reaction from them,” he said.
Patiño believes these officials “used their state power and authority to drive us away from the parish. It’s unfortunate because most of these officials are also Catholics.”
“Don’t be fooled by demons,” Montelibano said, adding that, as far as he knows, “only the bishop and the pope have the authority to” ban the faithful from receiving sacraments.
“Is this dictatorship — [denying] us the sacraments if we do not bow down to them?” he said.
Montelibano said he will continue attending masses and will ask Navarra’s advice.
Several Protestant pastors were reportedly behind Patiño and Hinayan. “They were just a few of the many pastors in the town,” Montelibano said. “They were the ones who did not support me during last year’s election.”
The seven Catholic sacraments are Baptism, Penance (Confession or Reconciliation), Eucharist (Holy Communion), Confirmation, Marriage (Holy Matrimony), Ordination (Holy Orders) and Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction or Last Rites)./PN
