World | Philippines
Appointment to Vatican falls foul of bishops
Catholic bishops have voiced opposition to the appointment of the wife of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as the government's representative to the Vatican after reports that the couple have been estranged for several years.
- By Cher Jimenez, Correspondent
- Published: 00:08 July 2, 2008
Manila: Catholic bishops have voiced opposition to the appointment of the wife of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as the government's representative to the Vatican after reports that the couple have been estranged for several years.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) questioned the appointment of Cristina Ponce Enrile as ambassador to the Holy See, adding that President Gloria Arroyo should have asked for their opinion first.
Rosales said it was unlike the presidential palace to not consult Catholic bishops before assigning a new ambassador to the Vatican but admitted that the Church itself had no authority to appoint a secular representative of the government to the Vatican.
Couple deny differences
"I don't know what moral issue they are talking about," said the new incumbent when asked about the bishops' complaint.
Senator Enrile and his wife have denied that they were estranged at any time despite reports that she had been living in the United States and had returned to Manila to report for duty.
The appointment came into focus after a group of Catholic scholars questioned the "canonical integrity" of the envoy's marriage with Senator Enrile.
"I cannot please everybody. There are people who are for you. There are those who are against you. I'm not a political person. I am appointed by the president. My responsibility, first of all, is to my country and to the Filipino people. I will serve as an ambassador," said Enrile's wife.
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