Sin defends church advice on choosing candidates

Religious leaders, too, are protected by the constitutional right to freedom of speech, former Manila archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin said yesterday.

Sin defended the right of religious leaders to give advice to and share opinions with their flocks regarding the candidates they should vote for.

In a seven-page comment submitted to the Supreme Court, Sin denied having participated in any partisan politics during his tenure as archbishop of Manila, contrary to the claims made by the Social Justice Society (SJS).

The SJS has filed a petition against Mike Velarde, leader of the Catholic charismatic El Shaddai movement, and impleaded Sin, Iglesia ni Cristo executive minister Eraño Manalo, Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide leader and presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva and Ang Dating Daan leader Eli Soriano.

Sin said the allegations made by the SJS in its petition that he and other religious leaders have been actively involved in partisan politics were merely based on conjectures, since the elections have not yet taken place.

"Now that the May election is about to come, His Eminence has not endorsed any political candidate," Sin said. "While it is true in the past elections, the Cardinal gave advice or opinion as to what are the qualities that the candidate should possess, this shouldn’t automatically be interpreted as partisan politics."

Sin said he and other religious leaders are also citizens of the Philippines, whose "freedom of speech is guaranteed and protected" by the Constitution.

"This constitutional right cannot, should not, be curtailed on the basis of an unfounded fear and under the guise of a violation of the principle of the separation of the church and state," Sin said.– Aurea Calica