PASTORAL LETTER
“The Election Irregularities”
April 13, 1978
To my dear brothers and sisters in Christ in Metro-Manila:
In my letter to you before
the elections, I asked all of you, after the voting was over, to unite and
join hands in the common task of building a better nation. I asked the winners
to be humble in victory and the losers to be gracious in defeat.
Now the elections are over
and the returns have been counted. But the post-election atmosphere has been
beclouded by a welter of charges and counter-charges. Partisan feeling continues
to run high and the unity which I had hoped would be achieved seems to be
more inaccessible than ever.
The charges and counter-charges
being exchanged are serious. Both parties, for instance, have accused each
other of committing acts of terrorism on Election Day. Other charges range
from the widespread use of flying voters, the stuffing of ballot boxes, the
tampering of election returns all the way to foreign intervention and an alliance
with a godless ideology.
An atmosphere such as this
is dangerous and something must be done to clear it. We must not
allow passions to be inflamed, dissatisfaction to fester and tensions to intensify.
For the air to be cleared,
and for the process of normalization to be hastened, two things must be done:
First, all citizens, regardless
of party affiliation, who were witnesses to the commission of electoral frauds,
must substantiate and document those frauds and then file charges against
the person or persons involved; and
Second, all the duly constituted
authorities, the members of the Commission on Elections particularly, must
give a respectful hearing to these charges, conduct an unbiased and impartial
investigation and then after due process, punish the guilty and absolve the
innocent.
Unless this is done, the emotionalism
will continue to rage on, and there will be no peace. Unless this is done,
the faith of the people in the sanctity of the ballot, and their confidence
in democratic processes will be shaken.
I call on all concerned citizens,
therefore, to reaffirm their faith in democracy by coming forward with first-hand
information of election irregularities. I urge them to present their charges
before the Commission on Elections whose sworn constitutional duty is to
uphold the cause of clean and fair elections.
I also call on all lawyers
in Metro Manila to manifest their concern for truth and freedom, justice and
peace, by offering their services to such citizens who may need their help.
Finally, I call on the Commission
on Elections to open its doors to all those who may wish to seek redress for
their electoral grievances. I urge it to investigate all charges brought to
its attention, to give everyone a fair and public hearing, and to punish
the guilty regardless of position in life and society, and regardless of party
affiliation.
This is the only way we can
bring calm to the present unsettled atmosphere. This is the only way we can
still the divisive and acrimonious voices in our midst. This, I might add
in conclusion, is the only way to peace.
God bless you and remember, I love you all very dearly.
(SGD.) +
JAIME L. CARDinal SIN, D.D.
Archbishop of Manila
N. B.
This is an open letter of His
Eminence addressed to the People of God and Duly Signed by him.
As per explicit instruction
of His Eminence, DO NOT READ this in the CHURCH. You may however inform them
outside of the Church.
(SGD.) MSGR. BENJAMIN L. MARIÑO
Vicar General - Chancellor
