The Diocese of Baguio has denied the claim that their bishop, Victor Bendico is linked with right-wing or left leaning groups.
(PHOTO FROM THE DIOCESE OF BAGUIO FACEBOOK PAGE / CBCP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The diocese issued the statement after they were notified by concerned friends and faithful regarding post on Facebook associating their bishop to an organization which he does not personally know and dealt with.
"He was addressed in the said FB post as a supporter of this organization for which reason he was red-tagged," Father Rosito S. Pedro, Jr., vicar general and spokesperson of the diocese, said in a statement dated November 25.
"The Diocese of Baguio disclaims any linkage to any right-wing or left wing groups," he added.
Pedro said the same goes for their Social Action Commission.
The priest said the Diocese of Baguio promotes and advocates justice and peace, integral human development and charity, above all, through the fulfilment of her priestly, prophetic and kingly mission or roles based on Catholic Doctrines and Social Teachings but never on ideologies that "sow disunity and sabotage peace."
"We hereby make clear that neither the Bishop nor the Social Action Commission of the Diocese of Baguio has a direct link to any of the so called right-wing or left leaning groups," said Pedro.
He asked those posting on Facebook to stop red-tagging their bishop.
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) was also not spared from red-tagging.
Days before, the group condemned the red-tagging of their members which include their General Secretary, Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza.
"These malicious labelling of our leader and of our staff endangers their lives," NCCP said in a statement.
"This is a clear and present danger to the other staff of NCCP, and to the members of the Council as campaigns like these seek to delegitimize and malign the ministry and work of the Council that has always been serving the Filipino people for decades," the group added.