By CESAR JOLITO III
Reverend Father Mao Buenafe, one of the founding figures of the Council of Concerned Citizens (C3), has stepped down as lead convenor of the civic watchdog group following its decision to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In a statement released on Wednesday, October 22, Buenafe confirmed that he accepted the convenor role at the request of Atty. Renecito Novero, since he relinquished it due to the restrictions imposed on members of the clergy regarding involvement in corporations not sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church.
“I accepted the responsibility because the objective was valid, and the times clearly called for a citizens’ watchdog — an investigative body focused on the flood control projects,” Buenafe said.
He added, however, that priests who were initially part of C3 will continue to serve as the group’s spiritual advisers.
Buenafe also revealed that at the height of the controversy surrounding Bacolod’s flood control projects, C3 extended invitations to various government offices — including the Office of the President, the Ombudsman, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and local government officials — to join their site visits and investigations.
According to him, the first to respond was the office of Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who expressed full cooperation and later requested a private meeting with the priests.
During their October 4 meeting, Buenafe said Benitez voiced “dismay and frustration” over the issues within his institution and sought “advice and moral guidance on how to restore public trust.”
It was then that the idea of a retreat or recollection for government officials was proposed.
Reevaluate moral recovery
On October 20, Benitez again met with Buenafe and other city officials to discuss how to move forward with what was later named the moral recovery initiative for government officials.
Buenafe emphasized that the initiative was not meant to “undermine any ongoing investigations or political positions” regarding the flood control anomalies.
However, following consultations with other members of the clergy, Buenafe said they decided to “re-evaluate” the proposed initiative amid growing public skepticism about collaborations between church leaders and politicians.
“There is a prevailing perception of underlying motives, manipulation, and unstated objectives when engaging in dialogue with government officials,” Buenafe said.
“We must carefully review our approach to the moral recovery initiative,” he added.
He stressed that the effort should include the voices of the poor — the sector most affected by corruption.
“We recognize that the most affected sector by corruption in government is the marginalized — the poor. Their input is essential to the success of the moral recovery initiative,” he said./CJ, WDJ