Church leaders recall former senator as great statesman

Jovito Salonga defied two Philippine presidents to defend the people's best interests.

Former Philippine Senate President Jovito Salonga, a leading opponent of former president Ferdinand Marcos died on March 10 at the age of 95. (Photo by Romeo Mariano)

Manila:  Catholic leaders, politicians, and activists paid tribute to former Philippine Senate president Jovito Salonga, who who died March 10 at the age of 95, as an exemplar of principled politics anchored on a Christian faith.

"His political career has a soul. His government service has a conscience. His life witnessing is edifying," said Bishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, president of the Catholic bishops' conference.

Salonga, the son of a poor Presbyterian minister, became a close friend of Archbishop Villegas, who served as an assistant to the late Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila, one of the key players of the 1986 "People Power" revolution.

Salonga was a leading opponent of the regime of Ferdinand Marcos. He also later defied his good friend, President Corazon Aquino, and broke a deadlocked vote to extend operations of the biggest American military bases outside of mainland United States.

"I vote 'no,' and if it were only possible, I would vote 203 million times, 'no'," thundered Salonga as base opponents wept with joy.

Sacred Heart Father Benjamin Alforque said Salonga's political passions could not tempt him to play fast and loose with Senate rules. He served as president from 1987 to 1992.

"A group of us church people, from the Promotion of Church People's Response and the Justice and Peace Commission of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines were lobbying for the termination of the U.S. Bases," Alforque recalled.

"We made a call on the Senate president. He welcomed us into his office. He said, 'You know my position on the issue. But I am Senate president presiding the hearings. You should not see me but the senators. You must convince them. I must keep and protect the integrity of the office of the Senate president'."

"There and then I understood the meaning of incorruptibility and integrity of a sacred political office, of Jovy's strength of character, respect and faith in fair play," Father Alforque said.

In 2007, Salonga received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

Source: UCAN