Faces of the News: October 13, 2024
Pablo Virgilio David
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of the Diocese of Kalookan was busy preparing for a Mass for members of the Filipino community in Rome when Pope Francis, in a surprise announcement, named him one of the 21 new cardinals of the Catholic Church on Oct. 26. David, the current president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the news “felt like being caught in a whirlwind … then feeling a soft breeze that penetrated my soul.”
The ceremony to install the new cardinals, known as a consistory, will be held on Dec. 8. David will be the 10th Filipino cardinal in history, serving among the closest advisers to the Pontiff and whose responsibilities include electing the Pope’s successor. Aside from the 65-year-old David, the country currently has five living cardinals: Gaudencio Rosales (age 92), Luis Antonio Tagle (67), Orlando Quevedo (85), and Jose Advincula (72). Filipino Catholics celebrated David’s elevation as one of the “princes of church.” The newest cardinal has been known in recent years for looking after the families of those killed in the Duterte drug war.—Dexter Cabalza
George Erwin Garcia
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Erwin Garcia described the eight-day period for filing certificates of candidacy (COCs) and nomination for the 2025 polls as generally peaceful except for the violence that occurred in Maguindanao del Sur. Based on a report he gave on Oct. 9, a total of 183 individuals filedCOCs for senator, while nominees from 156 out of 160 accredited party list groups filed nomination papers.
Garcia said 43,033 candidates filed COCs for 18,280 elective positions. Of these, 78.2 percent or 33,652 were male, while 21.8 percent or 9,381 were female. On Oct. 11, Garcia said the poll body’s law department has made an initial determination that at least 66 senatorial aspirants were “valid” candidates. Comelec targets to publish the official list of all candidates by Dec. 13, with the printing of ballots starting later in the month. But before getting there, the poll body will do something for the first time: publish the COCs online to allow a closer public scrutiny of the candidates’ background and credentials. —Jerome Aning
Julie Anne San Jose
What should have been a fundraising concert for a parish church in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, ended up earning the ire of the faithful for its impropriety. Netizens—some of them non-Catholics—found it offensive that singer-actress Julie Anne San Jose was allowed not only to perform in a sexy outfit but also do pop numbers better played on the dance floor than in front of the altar of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish church.
Her songs included “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, “Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga and “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, among others. Four days after the Oct. 6 show, San Jose’s managers at the Sparkle GMA Artist Center explained that she “only fulfilled her duties and commitment as a true professional’’ and that “she is a devout Catholic [who] had no intention of disrespecting the Church or its members.” San Jose herself later issued an apology, while the parish priest, Fr. Carlito Dimaano, “humbly owned all the mistakes that triggered the scandal created by his parochial fundraising concert and asked for pardon.” —Dexter Cabalza
Willie Ong
Through his wife Anna Liza, cardiologist, internist and social media personality Dr. Willie Ong filed his certificate of candidacy for senator on Oct. 3. Ong’s family lawyer, Gilbert Lauengco, said the doctor was doing well while undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer in Singapore. “As a doctor, he’s well aware of his limitations for campaigning and for actually participating as an active senator. And he knows and understands that his sickness is not something that will debilitate him enough to prevent from doing that,” Lauengco said.
In a TV interview on Oct. 11, Ong said he had finished his third chemotherapy session, and that his cancer was steadily shrinking. As his doctors found his recovery short of miraculous, Ong attributed everything to his supporters and their prayers. The onetime vice presidential candidate said he had asked God for at least seven more years to live so that he could campaign and serve a six-year term in Congress. If elected, Ong said, he would devote his time securing more funds for quality health care all Filipinos can access. —Jerome Aning
Jaime Capil
Mayor Jaime “Jing” Capil of Porac, Pampanga, became the second local chief executive to be investigated for allegedly protecting the illegal operations of Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) Lucky South 99 in his town. On Oct. 9, the Office of the Ombudsman slapped Capil, his vice mayor, eight councilors and the town’s business licensing officer with a six-month preventive suspension order for gross neglect of duty.
Capil vowed to appeal the order, saying his only consolation was that he was not dismissed from government service like Bamban, Tarlac, Mayor Alice Guo. Capil was once considered Porac’s new political star when he beat Maynard Lapid, Sen. Lito Lapid’s youngest son, in the 2019 mayoralty race. He was reelected in 2022, beating former mayor Condralito dela Cruz. The Pogo controversy began hounding him in June when Lucky South 99 was raided for complaints of torture, human trafficking, prostitution and money scams. Capil denied being the Pogo’s coddler, saying he and the local government’s inspection teams had actually been denied access to its compound. —Tonette Orejas
