By Paulo Loreto Lim

In response to an open letter by Diocese of Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon, where he called recent actions taken by the St. John’s Institute (SJI) Board of Trustees (BOT) an “injustice,” SJI pointed fingers directly at Queen of Peace parish rector, Fr. Ernie Larida, and pointed out, “What transpired went beyond the hanging of the tarpaulin for which we are setting the record straight.”
In the letter, they called Larida the instigator, writing, “Bishop, you told us yourself that you are the acting parish priest of the Queen of Peace Church and that appointed rector, Fr. Ernie Larida, is on-leave, thus only you have the authority to administer all activities pertinent to the church.”
The issue began after a tarpaulin displaying the schedule for Lenten masses at the church sparked a conflict between Larida and St. John’s Institute (SJI) Board of Trustees (BOT) President Cesar Villanueva, resulting in the gates to the school compound being closed.
Replying to Buzon calling the gate closure a “great aggravation,” particularly to the elderly and those with disabilities, SJI said, “The decision to close the main gate of SJI is not to inconvenience,” claiming the elderly and persons with disabilities are given full access through the 10th Street gate.
SJI said they have “been silent” but it has only brought them persecution from the pulpit.
“We are also wary of what else will happen if we continue to turn a blind eye to the disrespect and violence that your priest, a parish leader at that, has displayed,” the letter said.
The letter went on to discuss the land issue that has sprung up in recent months, noting, “As rightful owners of the school and the church, the very facility that we allowed the parish to use has been denied us when we asked to have it renovated.”
“We can fully prove that we have the title to the land where the church stands and it is us, not the diocese, that constructed the same with the very intention that it will serve the growth of our students’ faith,” the letter added.
SJI also blamed Larida, who took to the radio yesterday to rally the public behind the parish, in the reversal of their decision to reopen the gates for the upcoming Holy Week observance, saying his actions would only promote more violence.
“We have not asked for more than the recognition of our right to manage both the school and church, as wished for by the late Monsignor Su,” the letter noted.
In his earlier letter, Buzon said, “I appealed to the Board of Trustees for reconsideration, but to no avail.”
“I am aware of the deep hurt and anger caused by the injustices that you believe are being done to us,” he added. “Perhaps this pain and humiliation we are presently experiencing will help us celebrate the Holy Week with deeper meaning and in closer communion with the crucified Lord.”
Buzon said the incident must be dealt with urgently and invited the BOT to sit down with the diocese to work on a memorandum of agreement on April 17.
The school’s response did not explicitly address the bishop’s invitation, but said, “We will continue to abide with your wishes for a dialogue, even if we are under threat that you will strip our institution of a ministry.”/WDJ