Wednesday, May 26, 2010

KARSA denounces religious groups involved in vote-buying

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Kalinga Apayao Religious Sector Association (KARSA) which consist of nine religious denominations in the province has denounced some clergymen and churches who it alleged took part in buying votes during the last elections.

In a statement, the outspoken religious group said that there were pastors who promised the votes of their congregations to individual politicians and party list groups in exchange for material considerations.

“They themselves spearheaded campaign sorties and some of them personally distributed money in exchange for votes. They themselves led their people to the road of perdition instead of leading them to the narrow gate of heaven,” the statement said.

In the same statement, KARSA also condemned politicians who bought votes saying that with their act, they just “displayed what kind of leaders they will be in the next three years.”

The group made it known that it does not condone these religious personalities and groups on one hand and candidates on the other likening them to “termites eating up the fabric and the moral foundations of our society.”

In an interview, KARSA Chairman Luis Aoas informed that one sect had received P10,000.00 from a partylist group and another P30,000.00 from a candidate for a provincial position.

He also said that one pastor who does not belong to the KARSA had violated the arrangement with a politician to give P500.00 to each member voter by reducing the amount to P300.00.

Admitting that some of those involved are members of the association, Aoas said that they will shortly meet to decide on what disciplinary action it will impose on its members who violated their policy and advocacy against vote-buying and other illegal and immoral election practices. **By Estanislao Albano, Jr., ZZW

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