By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano plans to pass around a petition for Fathers Greg Patiño and Agustin Hinayan to be taken out of his town.
Montelibano said he has recently met with the town’s 23 barangay captains, who promised to sign the petition if the priests will not stop criticizing the municipal government.
“I don’t think it is right anymore for Fathers Patiño and Hinayan to criticize in their sermons the municipal officials and the police for alleged inaction on illegal gambling and illegal drugs,” the mayor said.
Montelibano said the priests make such criticisms not only during regular masses but also during masses for the dead.
“Many of my constituents have informed me about what the priests were saying in their sermons, and many of them have said they do not like them anymore,” he said.
Once the petition is signed by all barangay captains in Murcia, “I will bring [it] to Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, even to the Vatican,” Montelibano said.
Earlier, Patino said the clergy noted that illegal drug and illegal gambling activities give way to street crimes, break-ins or burglaries, and killings.
He said they sent Montelibano a letter, appealing for action against these problems, but have not received any response from the mayor./PN
