Church issues 6 criteria for choosing leaders

04/18/2007 | 05:02 PM

After issuing “10 commandments” to voters on which candidate to vote for on May 14, the Archdiocese of Manila issued six more guidelines for voters in making their choices.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales issued the guidelines Wednesday in a pastoral letter to be read in all churches covered by the Manila archdiocese.

“Choosing and holding the leaders accountable to the governed is a critically important choice that must follow moral guidance. The sacredness of an election recalls to us that votes are not for sale or to be bartered with favors. Neither can a vote be cast under any form of coercion. The search is for the best possible leader,” he said in his letter.

He added election is a process of choosing leaders who, with the people, will seek the common good of all.

The six guidelines of the “best possible leader” that voters should choose for include:

* A person who loves and fears God

* One who is guided by a well-formed conscience, always sensitive to the choice of what is good

* One who lives and serves consistently with moral principles

* One who is honest, non-violent and compassionate

* A person who respects and protects the limited sources in nature and requires others to do the same

* One who is ready to sacrifice personal, party or group interest for the sake of unity, peace and the integral development of the country and the people

“In the past, enormous sufferings resulted from political ambitions, maneuvers and group adventurism resulting in the country’s poor becoming even poorer,” Rosales lamented.

He also urged the faithful to pray for guidance so that God may “softly suggest in prayer” that the country needs “moral, humble and repentant trustworthy leaders.”

Rosales also reiterated his call to teachers, the men and women of the armed forces, the youth and volunteer citizens who help the Commission on Election (Comelec) ensure that votes are properly cast, accurately counted at the precincts, are authentically reported to the municipalities and cities.

They should also help ensure the votes are then forwarded safely and un-tampered to the COMELEC Provincial and National offices. – GMANews.TV