CBCP issues pastoral statement after BARMM elections

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines issued a pastoral statement following the September 14 parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, president of the conference, signed the statement calling on newly elected leaders to govern for the common good and protect the rights, dignity, and religious freedom of all people, including Muslims, Christians, and Indigenous Peoples.

The bishops congratulated those who participated peacefully in the democratic process and urged leaders to make the region a home for every community. The statement acknowledged the region's history of injustice, prejudice, and conflict, noting that these wounds must be recognized and healed through dialogue and reconciliation.

Archbishop Garcera noted that a recent delegation of five bishops and five priests participated in an interreligious dialogue program in Cairo from August 29 to September 7. The bishops stated that the experience strengthened their conviction that peace is possible through justice, charity, and mutual respect.