Catholic prelate slams inclusion of Bibles in relief items for Marawi evacuees

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MANILA — A retired Catholic prelate on Monday criticized the alleged giving away of Bibles along with relief goods at evacuation centers for the Marawi siege refugees.

With this, former Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla noted that such act is encouraging tension with Muslims.

“If they do it deliberately, it’s either an insult or ignorance of the needs of the Muslims,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website.

Capalla added that “proselytizing” shows lack of respect and calls into question the sincerity of one’s charity.

“If you want to help, then give only the needs of the Muslims… the basic needs like clothing, food, water, among others,” said the co-convenor of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, an interreligious group.

He added, “We should be more sensitive. They should also ask Muslim leaders what to give in that area of religion.”

Copies of Bible and translated in Maranao language included in relief goods were reportedly being distributed to those affected by the conflict between government troops and Maute group.

However, it’s not known who were behind the distribution of the Bibles.