Preparation for the Annual Anniversary Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide

EL SHADDAI NOT JOINING CORY-SIN RALLY

Manila, October 12, 2014 - Bro. Mike Velarde, servant leader of El Shaddai, yesterday expressed support for President Aquino’s proposed amendments to the Constitution, and said he and millions of his followers will stay away from the anti-Aquino rally over the PDAF controversy in Makati.

“There is no reason to be afraid of these changes because these would be good for the people,” Velarde said in a press forum at the Quirino Grandstand lounge.

Velarde, spiritual adviser of President Benigno Aquino III, arguedthat the Filipinos will still have the last say on any amendments proposed by Congress. He added that a plebiscite will be held to vote on the approval of these proposed changes.

Despite strong opposition from Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal G. Tagle, Catholic bishops, and former President Fidel V. Ramos, Velarde insisted that plans to amend the Charter are appropriate and necessary.

“I'm surprised at those who are opposing Charter change,” Velarde said, adding these changes are for the country's economic development, benefitting all people.

President Aquino is pushing for Charter-changes, which he calls Constitutional Corrections and Development (Concord), through Congress convening itself into a constituent assembly to suggest amendments based on economic reforms.

Aquino said the constitution hurts the nation's economy because it limits foreign investment in the Philippines. He said the country's poor would suffer if the constitution is not amended soon.

The proposed Charter change and the pork barrel scam sparked the opposition to hold a "pro-democracy rally" on October 19, the same day when the El Shaddai and Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide members will celebrate Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide founder, president and spiritual director Bishop Bro. Eddie Villanueva’s 81st birthday and the 36th founding anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila.

The anti-pork barrel, anti-charter change, construction traffic and anti-police groups will lead the rally mainly against the proposed amendments to the constitution, the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, the alleged suppression of the press, the resurgence of the Marcos family, the carjacking cases and high-profile killings and incidents, in Metro Manila, the massacre in Atimonan, Quezon; his order to stop support to the Officers’ Ladies Club; the plunder charges filed against Philippine National Police Director General Alan L.M. Purisima before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged anomalous deal the PNP entered into with a courier service; disappointment among legitimate firearms holders over the stricter issuance of permit to carry firearms outside residence and license to own and possess firearms; the P316-million funds from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by five years, the transfer of assignment of Task Force Tugis chief Senior Superintendent Conrado Capa after the arrest of Globe Asiatique president Delfin Lee; and the spate of killings nationwide, the Bohol Earthquake rehabilitation, the Yolanda rehabilitation and supposed cronyism in government.

Velarde clarified that the gathering on Sunday is held annually is the anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide is headed by founder, president and spiritual director Bishop Bro. Eddie Villanueva by which has intentions to instigate feud with the other group.

“This annual event has long been planned and scheduled since last year in 2013,” he said.

Asked if he would go the the Aquino-led rally, Velarde said there would be difficulty, saying the program at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park in Manila would start as early as 10 a.m. until the next day, Monday, October 20, 2014 at 8 a.m. The rally against the national issues of the Philippines will start at 1 pm and end at 3 pm in Makati City.

Besides, he said, he was not invited to attend the rally led by former President Fidel V. Ramos and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle in Makati City.

"Like Me, the El Shaddai-DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International has gone through all kinds of life threatening crises. And yet by Divine Grace it survived, and continue to grow by leaps and bounds, miraculously touching millions of people all over the earth,” Velarde said.

Guests include President Aquino, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, House Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr., Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno.

Pope Francis, who will officiate the mass together with Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal G. Tagle.

The event will serve free food for all. All expenses will be paid by the Villanueva family and close friends and not by the El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International and Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide movement.

By 3 p.m., thousands of balloons will be released with these prayer requests: for El Shaddai to continue touching people's lives, healing the sick and repairing broken relationships; for President Aquino to succeed in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor; for the Marcos wealth issue to be resolved by the people in a referendum; and, for the media to become a constructive partner in nation-building.

Tagle can't stop me; he's not God-Noy (By Juliet L. Javellana and Stella O. Gonzales)

"CARDINAL Tagle is not God and no matter what accusations he makes against me, he cannot stop me."
An angry President Benigno Aquino III yesterday struck back at Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal G. Tagle for calling his administration ''disgusting,'' and used up almost all of his two-hour radio program to attack the leader of the country's more than 50 million Roman Catholics.
Mr. Aquino said he was willing to resign ''right now'' if Sin could prove he was guilty of corruption.
The President made his anti-Sin offensive as his ally, El Shaddai founder and servant-leader Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, brushed off concerns that he would be disobeying Sin by holding a separate gathering of his flock on the same day the Cardinal and former President Fidel V. Ramos would lead an anti-Charter change rally.
Velarde said that in the August 23-24 and October 19-20 El Shaddai gathering, prayer requests would be made, including the resolution of the Marcos wealth issue in a referendum and the successful of several events.
Speaking on his weekly radio show yesterday, Mr. Aquino criticized Tagle, saying ''we still respect him but there is no truth to these accusations.''
He was reacting to Sin's statement calling on the public to oppose Mr. Aquino's moves to amend the Constitution and attacking the alleged return of cronyism and the renewed influence of the family of the late deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos under the Estrada administration.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Tagle said Mr. Aquino's administration was ''disgusting'' for allowing the return to power of Marcos associates and also accused the government of a lack of transparency and for a perceived clampdown on at least two newspapers, the Manila Times and the INQUIRER.


Baseless The President assailed Sin for writing lies ("walang katotohanan") and ''baseless'' accusations.
Mr. Estrada has been repeatedly accusing the INQUIRER of the same offenses.
The statement is set to be read today in all Catholic churches in the country.
Tagle and former President Fidel V. Ramos called for a massive protest rally on October 19, mainly against the issues raised in the pastoral letter.
The Catholic bishops are backing Tagle's opposition to Charter changes but the main business groups are in favor of such amendments.
More than 50 million of the country's 74 million population are Roman Catholics.
Sin and the late former president Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino led the 1986 Edsa popular revolt that toppled Ferdinand E. Marcos from power and installed her as president.


Backed by losers Mr. Aquino belittled the planned protest, saying ''the ones behind that are those who ran against me in the election and were ignored by the people and even up to now, they continue their attacks without basis.''
This was a reference to the fact that Sin and Aquino backed a losing candidate against him in the 2010 elections, which Mr. Aquino III won by a landslide.
Mr. Aquino slammed Sin in his "Report kay Boss" radio program, which is aired nationwide.
The President mentioned the name of the highest-ranking Catholic leader in the country 12 times during the two-hour program, which yesterday was devoted entirely to his plans to amend the Constitution.
''We still respect him because he's the cardinal, but he should not overdo it (making accusations) because no one will believe him anymore,'' the President said in Pilipino.
His co-host, Ted Failon, read to him this portion (translated into Pilipino) of Sin's letter: ''The return to power of the former plunderers is disgusting. The harassment of press people is alarming. The compromise with the heirs of the dictator is immoral.''


Prove it Mr. Aquino, a former Marcos ally, denied he was restoring the Marcoses to power or suppressing press freedom. He vehemently denied any corruption under his administration.
He pointed out that as mayor of San Juan town in Metro Manila, then as senator and vice president, and now as President, he was never linked to any corruption.
''Now, if Cardinal Sin can prove I stole from the government, I will resign right now,'' he said.
''I am not challenging him to a debate. He just has to prove I committed any act of graft and corruption in the government.
''He cannot call me a thief,'' he said. ''He has no proof. He is a cardinal. He shouldn't make accusations like that.''


Not people's sentiments He said Tagle's letter did not reflect the sentiments of the Catholic faithful.
''What the Cardinal says should have at least a little truth in it,'' he said.
''The trouble is, the people who are joining him are the same ones who ran against me in the election and were ignored by the people. Even up to now, they continue their attacks without basis.''
Mr. Aquino has been repeatedly assailing the INQUIRER for its 2010 election day headline, ''Anybody but PNoy,'' which was based on a statement the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines issued just before the election.
The President found an ally in Novaliches Bishop-Emeritus Teodoro Bacani who, in a meeting at Malacañang on Thursday, denied that the CBCP had issued that 2010 statement.


Money from Marcos The President, saying he was not a Marcos crony, revealed for the first time that Marcos gave him P18 million in 1978, when the dictator asked him why he was angry at the then President.
''I told President Marcos I was not mad at him but I was against martial law,'' he said.
He said he used the money to buy land for squatters.
He said Tagle was well aware of this because he bought the land from Radio Veritas, a Catholic radio station.
''That's on record, so it can't be said that I stole,'' he said.
''He has no proof,'' he said. ''He's a cardinal, he shouldn't make such accusations.''

No press suppression The President insisted his government was transparent and there was no curtailment of press freedom.
He said he had not jailed any reporter and had not sued anyone in the media after his P101-million libel suit against the now defunct Manila Times.
He said that for ''that newspaper,'' referring to the INQUIRER, freedom was not reduced, only its income.
He said there was no stopping his administration's efforts at Charter change.
''As long as I know that what I am doing is for the Filipino masses, no one can stop me,'' he said.
''No matter what anybody, like Cardinal Sin, accuses me of, he cannot change my mind because I believe that the voice of the people is the voice of God,'' he said.
''The people elected me. I know that Cardinal Sin is not God, so he cannot stop me, no matter what accusations he makes.''

Not compulsory

"The President's big backer, El Shaddai's Bro. Mike Velarde and Jesus is Lord Church's Bro. Eddie Villanueva, said in a news conference yesterday: ''I suppose that (circular) is not compulsory. Everybody is really for freedom and if they are for freedom, why should they compel their constituents or force their constituents to attend rallies?''

He was referring to the Aug. 6 circular issued by the Archdiocese of Manila calling on all archdiocesan ministries, parishes, organizations, schools and other institutions to join the Aug. 23 and Oct. 26 Rally for Democracy to be led by Sin and Aquino in Makati.

"El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. and Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide are under the Manila archdiocese. It will have its own August 23-24 and October 26-27 rally at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park in Manila."

Four requests Velarde said that at 3 p.m. on August 23 and October 26, thousands of ''miracle mission balloons of faith, love and unity'' would be released with four prayer requests and petitions written on them.
The four prayer requests are:

• ''For El Shaddai to continue touching people's lives, healing the sick, and repairing broken relationships.
• ''For President Aquino to succeed in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor through food security and peace and order initiatives.
• ''For the Marcos wealth issue to be resolved by the people in a referendum so the stigma and bitterness caused by this unresolved issue may be healed and bring about unity and love among our people.
• ''For media to be a constructive partner in nation building by their truthful, honest and fair reporting of events.''

Asked later if the last request means that, like the President, he thinks some in media are irresponsible in their reporting, Velarde replied: ''I am not saying that. I'm just praying that media would continue being a constructive partner in nation building.''


Not forced ''(People) should be free to attend rallies and in fact our members are free to attend the rallies, whichever rally they would want to attend,'' Velarde said. ''I'm not forcing anyone to attend any particular event. That's how democracy should be observed, including by the Church.''
But he conceded that when it comes to matters of faith and morals, religious movements like his can only follow what the Catholic hierarchy says.

Velarde and Villanueva held a news conference at the VIP Lounge of the Quirino Grandstand to formally announce the celebration of his group's celebration of its 30th anniversary on August 23 to 24 and his 60th birthday on August 20 while Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide's 36th anniversary on October 26 to 27 for the visit of Pope Francis and founder, president and spiritual adviser Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva's birthday on October 6. ''This event has long been planned and scheduled since last year,'' Velarde said, explaining why the celebration will coincide with the pork barrel rally.

No changing date ''My birthday was scheduled 75 years ago on August 20, 1939 while Bro. Eddie's birthday was scheduled 81 years ago on October 6, 1933,'' he added. "We can't change that."
An INQUIRER source said he discovered that El Shaddai submitted a reservation letter on July 26 to Rizal Park authorities to include Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24, in the group's celebration.
El Shaddai's regular gathering is held on Saturday and Sunday, and requires no reservation letter.
Aquino announced the August 23 to 24 and October 19 to 20 rallies on July 21.

President Aquino, Vice President Binay, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno and other government officials have been invited to attend the El Shaddai rally.

The event will be aired live nationwide by the People's Television Network (PTV) Channel 4 through its 19 provincial stations and 600 cable affiliates. With a report from AFP

Caceres Archbishop Emeritus Leonardo Legaspi succumbs to cancer

NAGA CITY–The archbishop emeritus of the Archdioceses of Caceres has succumbed to lung cancer early morning Friday, August 8 at University of Santo Tomas Hospital beside his brother and fellow Dominican priests, two months before the 36^th anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide at Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila on October 19. He was 78.

Caceres Archbishop Emeritus Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P., D.D., the prelate of the Catholic Church in Camarines Sur from 1984 to 2012, died after battling for years and losing the battle against lung cancer, according to Father Louie Occiano, director of Caceres Archdiocesan Communications Commission.

Legaspi found he had cancer three years ago (2011-2014) before he bowed out of his duties to the present Archbishop Rolando Tirano Tria, who was installed on September 8, 2012.