A Catholic bishop urged the faithful to stay vigilant amid mounting government corruption allegations, calling on Filipinos to push for accountability and reject long-standing patterns of abuse.
Speaking during Mass at a Saturday prayer rally, Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista of Imus urged the public to closely watch ongoing anomalies and demand that those responsible face the proper consequences.
“With the anomalies happening in our country, we must keep watch over all of them. If someone needs to be jailed, then they should be jailed,” Evangelista said in Filipino during his homily.
“We will no longer allow this kind of system. We will no longer remain silent,” he said.
More than 10,000 Catholics from various Imus parishes gathered at the City of Dasmariñas Grandstand for the diocesan celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King.
Evangelista said the gathering also aimed to unite people in prayer for “good governance, transparency and accountability,” values he said have been weakened by officials seeking personal gain.
“People are tired of officials who think only of themselves,” he said. “
The bishop said public frustration stems from leaders who “do not govern well, do not genuinely care, and do not truly love the people they vowed to serve.”
The bishop urged Filipinos to demand integrity from officials and help build a culture of accountability, starting with responsible choices and action within their own communities.
“The Filipino people are desperately thirsting for good governance,” he said, adding that the country can only move forward when transparency and responsibility become the norm rather than the exception.
