Friends, there seems to be a need to understand some truths regarding public office:

When people offer themselves for political positions, they are asking to be evaluated, even as persons. That personal evaluation is necessary to make accountability come alive. Art XI of the Constitution requires specific personal virtues and behavioral attributes of the candidate. You cannot not tell a thief to return the stolen funds without it being addressed to the person of the thief.

Again, abused yung simplistic na slogan na: “Hate the sin but love the sinner.”

To be a public servant is to agree to a high level of accountability, including scrutiny in many areas that are not otherwise fair to scrutinize for someone in private life. Pati ang libel laws, iba ang standard if the one claiming to be libeled is a public official. Sabi ng batas: maghanda talaga kayong mga public officials na bubusisiin ng publiko ang mga galaw niyo. Syempre po, foul kapag isinama na ang mga inosenteng family members or matters that are intensely private.

Hindi kasi natin itinuro sa churches ang difference ng dealing with the sin of a brethren inside the church and dealing with a sin against the nation, which are usually designated as criminal offenses or carry administrative penalties. Sa matters regarding public officials’ conduct, required ang Christians to monitor their accountability. This is important, for the sake of Filipinos who need help from the funds that are being stolen from the public treasury.

In other words po, sa CHURCHES, the priest or pastor may give a sermon addressed to a specific sin, and in private talk to the person for repentance.

In PUBLIC GOVERNANCE, the COA, Ombudsman, prosecutor, media, and ordinary citizens can collectively address the need for the public official to return stolen money and face the consequences of the crime publicly. That’s the regular way of ensuring that government power is not abused. Hindi po primarily pastoral restoration ang approach sa public accountability, kundi protection of the public, and deterrence of future copycat crimes by the swift and appropriate punishment of corrupt officials.

Ang church discipline system is not the model for the discipline of public servants. Meron pong administrative discipline, criminal liability discipline, at public disapproval discipline. It would be destructive of democracy kung pilitin ng mga religious leaders na huwag mag-participate ang members from the public discipline processes.

We must strengthen the entire justice system and that can happen only when pressure for justice is felt from the people.

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A President who wants more than one term will not strengthen the investigators, the prosecutors and even judges. He will try to keep them within his control. He will want coverups, lame prosecution and unjust judgments, to justify staying in power, and to protect himself and his allies from accountability.

That is why people’s participation is very important in constitutional democracy. Even Christian history has shown how many times Christians used different forms of self expression, including rallies, to push for reform. Orderly and peaceful rallies are not unbiblical.

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Wala pong reason for Christians to be allergic to democracy. Ang origins po niyan ay galing sa Imago Dei verses (Genesis 1:26-27). Because all men have the Image of God, therefore all of them are created equal in the eyes of God.

Ang kalaban po niyan ay yung mayroong namamanginoon sa atin–yung political powerhouses at allies and families nila. Yun po, gumagawa ng mga class of royalty who are above accountability. Hindi po iyan ang gift sa atin ni Lord. Ang gift Niya ay freedom in Christ, freedom to worship Him, and to be the accountability keepers for our nation. Kasama nga ang believers sa “Sovereign Filipino People.” Bawal ang pag-treat as royalty ng kahit anong group of people sa Pilipinas.