THE Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged Filipinos to participate in the process of amending the Constitution.
"The process of amending the Constitution should not be left to politicians or to those who either by election or appointment will be tasked to draft the amendments," said CBCP President Archbishop Socrates Villegas in a pastoral statement issued on Tuesday, a day after the conclusion of their 114th Plenary Assembly in Manila.
"The Constitution is the single most important document of our country. The Filipino people are the author of this document," the Lingayen-Dagupan prelate added.
The Catholic prelate noted that lawmakers are just instruments of the citizenry and should not be regarded as the sole authors of the Constitution.
"But while the people’s approval of the Constitution or amendments thereof is our final act of owning it, we must be vigilant and watch over, and even suggest ideas and formulations that enter into the Constitution," Villegas said.
For their part, the CBCP head said that they will help the people to be knowledgeable about their rights and about their faith.
"Keep in mind that the drafting of a Constitution and amendments to it should concern all of us."
Meanwhile, the CBCP expressed opposition on the lowering of the age of criminal liability.
"The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines implores Congress of the Philippines to keep in tact the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, especially as regards the age of criminal liability. We are therefore opposed to lowering the age of criminal liability," Villegas said in a separate pastoral statement.
With this, the bishops believe that what lawmakers should do is to impose stiffer penalties to those who are using young Filipinos to commit crimes.
"The correct response, we believe, is vigilance on the part of parents and stiffer penalties for those who exploit the young in the perpetration of crime," he said. (FP/VoxPop Philippines)