The names of the three priests have been made public: Father Granwell Pitapit of Libmanan diocese, Bicol region, Father Emmanuel Alparce of Sorsogon diocese and Father Emerson Luego of Tagum diocese.
Father Pitapit ran for mayor of the town of Libmanan, the largest town in the province of Camarines Sur. Father Alparce applied for the post of councilor for the town of Bacacay in the province of Albay. Finally, Father Luego registered as a candidate for mayor of the town of Mabini in the province of Davao de Oro.
Bishop Jose Rojas of the diocese of Libmanan, chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' commission on the doctrine of the faith, said Catholic canon law forbids priests from participating in politics and that priests who do so should be punished. suspension of clerical duties. “Such ordinations are considered irreversible, so Pitapit will certainly not be able to return to priestly ministry,” he said. With this departure, Pitapit no longer represents the diocese and the Church in any way. The decision to suspend was issued on October 22, 2021 and was made public on October 26.
Therefore, he is not authorized to make any requests on behalf of the Church, nor must he be associated with any program to assist the poor funded by the Church or the diocese. assist."
In addition, the bishop said that the clerical ordination does not mean that the priest is free from the promise of celibacy. "The vows continue to bind the priest and are only fully released by the secular process. However, now Father Pitapit is free, unhindered by canon law, to be able to participate in the practice. secular commitments that do not violate the clerical vows."
Prior to that, two priests Alparce and Emerson Luego were also suspended by their local bishop for participating in politics.