ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | March 23, 2021
Magsasagawa ng religious service ang Archdiocese of Manila simula sa Miyerkules na lilimitahan lamang sa 10% ng church capacity, ngunit pinalagan ito ng Malacañang dahil paglabag umano ito sa ipinapatupad na guidelines kaugnay ng mass gatherings sa mga lugar na nasa ilalim ng general community quarantine (GCQ).
Sa Facebook post ng Archdiocese of Manila Office of Communications para sa pastoral instruction sa Holy Week, mababasa ang pahayag ni Apostolic Administrator of Manila Bishop Broderick Pabillo na: “We will not have any religious activity outside of our churches such as senakulo, pabasa, processions, motorcades, and Visita Iglesia. “But within our churches starting March 24, we will have our religious worship within 10% of our maximum church capacity.
“Let the worshippers be spread apart within our churches, using the health protocols that we have been so consistently implementing.”
Naunang ipinagbawal ng Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases ang pagtitipun-tipon kabilang na ang religious gatherings sa mga GCQ areas kabilang ang Metro Manila hanggang sa April 4 dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng kaso ng COVID-19 sa bansa.
Ayon naman kay Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, ang planong pagbubukas ng simbahan ay "would be contrary po to the decision of the IATF.”
Aniya pa, "We ask Bishop Pabillo not to encourage disregard of IATF rules. Ito naman po ay para sa kabutihan ng lahat.”
Kung sakaling ituloy ng simbahan ang planong pagbubukas, saad ni Roque, "In the exercise of police powers, we can order the churches closed.
"Huwag sana pong dumating doon, Bishop Pabillo. Wala po tayong makakamit na kahit anong objective if you will defy and you will force the state to close the doors of the church.”