Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Taytay warned that a “culture of death” is taking root in Philippine society, pointing to killings, red-tagging, and self-destructive behavior as signs that many now see death as a solution to problems.
Preaching on the Fifth Sunday of Lent on March 22, the prelate said the struggle between life and death remains evident in daily life, adding that “many people are on the side of death.”
He cited rising cases of suicide, abortion, substance abuse, and violence as expressions of this mindset. Some, he said, believe “that the problem will disappear if they take their own lives,” while others see abortion as a way out, leading them to “have the child killed who has no way to defend himself.”
The bishop also questioned the use of violence in the name of order and security, noting that some justify killing those they consider threats.
This, he said, is why “drug addicts are killed, those suspected of wrongdoing are killed, or rivals in positions are killed,” resulting in “political killings and the red-tagging of people who stand for justice.”
Pabillo said the same thinking extends beyond the Philippines and shapes ongoing conflicts worldwide. Many believe, he said, “that war and weapons are the solution,” pointing to wars in Ukraine, Myanmar, the Central African Republic, and the Middle East.
He added that this mindset fuels an arms buildup that also affects the country, noting that China is increasing its weapons and “trying to take Taiwan and the West Philippine Sea through force, through weapons,” while “we too are buying weapons and missiles.”
“Ayy, when will we realize that weapons and fighting are not the solution?” he asked.
Drawing from the Gospel account of the raising of Lazarus, Pabillo said Christian faith affirms that life ultimately prevails. “In the battle between life and death, life prevails,” he said, adding that while people still die, “there is new life beyond death” and “the final word is life and not death.”
He urged the faithful to make concrete choices for life, calling on them to “take the side of life” and to stand firm in the belief that “it is more powerful than death.”
