MANILA: The Catholic Church will be charged with an election offence if Team Patay/Team Buhay tarpaulins are not removed from the façade of the San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City.
“If the materials are not removed, we will charge the Church,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes said yesterday.
Bishop Vicente Navarra said the church did not violate Comelec rules as the Team Buhay/Team Patay tarpaulins are not meant to be campaign materials. If you are endorsing a product and the face of the candidate is there, that is propaganda under the definition of the Supreme Court,” he said. Ralph Sarmiento, one of the three lawyers for Navarra, said the Comelec order to remove the tarpaulins is unconstitutional.
The PhilippinE STAR
