One of the Catholic Church’s newest Cardinals celebrated Holy Mass with some of the Philippines’ political detainees today, calling for their freedom as proof of a healthy democracy.
In his first-ever celebration of the Holy Eucharist after Christmas, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan said he is scandalized by the existence of political detainees in the Philippines.
“I hope they regain their freedom soon. Their plight is being ignored,” he told Kodao after the Mass, held at Metro Manila District Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City this Thursday, December 26.
The celebration was organized by the political detainee support group Kapatid.
Cardinal David added he hopes that jails in the Philippines would be decongested, acknowledging the complaints of persons deprived of liberty that Philippine jails are 322% overcrowded.
The prelate revealed that in his own Diocese, the city jail is 1,000% over-congested.
“In Caloocan, our city jail designed to hold 200 prisoners have 2,000 inmates,” he revealed.
Revive the peace talks
David also said he hopes to hear of positive developments in the dialogues for the possible resumption of formal peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
“It had been more than a year since the parties announced efforts to revive the peace negotiations. I hope outstanding issues are resolved soon. It is taking too long,” he said.
He added that there should be no political detainees if there is “healthy democracy.”
Fresh from his elevation to the rank of “Prince of the Church,” David was made Cardinal by Pope Francis in the Vatican’s latest consistory earlier this month.
He is the 10th Filipino to be elevated as Cardinal.
NDFP peace consultants Vicente Ladlad and Adelberto Silva thanked David for his visit, his second to the jail facility this year.
“You were the first bishop to visit and celebrate Mass with us this year. Last January, you were a Bishop. This time, you are already a Cardinal. [But] You remain to be a pilgrim for peace,” Ladlad told David in a brief program after the celebration.
In his own speech, Silva pointed out that the main problems of detainees remain to be the inordinate delay in the resolution of cases in court, congestion, lack of health services, and insufficient food in jails.
Cardinal David replied that he hopes that the government would pay fines for every wrongful arrest and detention.
“I also hope that the penal system in the country shall be geared towards rehabilitation and not punishment,” he added.
Camp Bagong Diwa currently holds 20 of the country’s more than 700 political detainees.
