Cotabato archbishop warns faithful vs 'unrecognized' religious groups
The Archdiocese of Cotabato issued a warning to its faithful about the presence of "unrecognized" religious groups "whose teachings and practices deviate" from those of the Roman Catholic Church.

According to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Nov. 17, the Archdiocese of Cotabato issued the advisory due to these unrecognized groups causing confusion among the laity, leading to the mistaken belief that they are part of the official Catholic Church.
Archbishop Angelito Lampon expressed concern in the circular about the growing influence of groups, such as the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church and the Old Roman Catholic Church.
"We would like to inform you that these groups separated from the see of Rome and are not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church," Lampon said.
The Cotabato archbishop warned that the sacraments administered by these groups are considered "dubious and illicit."
This confusion has resulted in ministers from these groups being invited to conduct funeral rites and other liturgical activities.
In a similar situation, the Archdiocese of Manila urged its faithful in August to remain vigilant against the activities of these unrecognized groups.