Kalookan bishop, drug war critic is PH 10th cardinal

MANILA, Philippines — Even before he received his red vestments as one of the “Princes of the Catholic Church,” Cardinal Pablo “Ambo” Virgilio David was ready for the “call of martyrdom.”

“When I was named a bishop, I already accepted the fact that my life is not mine anymore. I know that this title is a recognition, but a responsibility [to the Catholic Church and its faithful],” he said in an interview on the news site of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

David, who is also CBCP president, has been formally elevated to the rank of cardinal along with 20 others during a consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday (midnight in Manila).

As the country’s 10th cardinal, he will serve as among the closest advisers of Francis whose main responsibility is to elect the Pope’s successor.

David and 20 other new cardinals recited the creed to make a profession of faith, then took an oath of fidelity and obedience to the Pope and his successors.

READ: Celebrating a new Cardinal

Each of them knelt before the Pontiff to receive the red biretta, the cardinal’s ring, and a document naming their titular church.

Pope Francis, in his homily, encouraged the new cardinals to “walk in the way of Jesus: together, with humility, wonder and joy.”

“To walk in the path of Jesus means above all to return to him and to put him back at the center of everything,” he said.

The cardinals wear red vestments as a symbol of giving their lives to the Church. And David, 65, is aware of this huge responsibility.

Red equals God’s love

David recounted how he received death threats amid his scathing criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war, whose victims include thousands from southern Caloocan. He decried how his diocese had turned into a “killing field.”

The Diocese of Kalookan covers the poor communities in the southern part of Caloocan and the cities of Navotas and Malabon.

“We don’t want to die or become a martyr. But we will not run away from danger. If I am afraid to die, then I should not have become a bishop in the first place. I should not have accepted this title if I am not ready to protect my flock. Sometimes, historical circumstances will call for it,” he said.

David reshared a homily he delivered back in November 2020 on the significance of the color red. For him, red is not about just suffering and death but also about God’s everlasting love.

“Red is about being ready for the consequences of loving as Jesus has loved us, including suffering and death, if necessary,” he said.

The country currently has five living cardinals, including Gaudencio Rosales, 92; Luis Antonio Tagle, 67; Orlando Quevedo, 85; and Jose Advincula, 72. Cardinals who are already over 80 are no longer eligible to vote in a conclave to elect the new Pope.

‘Stature’ for Kalookan ministry

The first Filipino cardinal who did not become an archbishop first and who does not come from a prominent archdiocese, David said he has not yet received any special assignment from the Pope, aside from being a member of the council to oversee the implementation of the synodality process and prepare for the next meeting of the Synod of Bishops.

“But I think, being named a cardinal will give a stature, not [to] me as a person but to the office. It will be a big difference to my ministry [in Kalookan]. And I hope positively,” he said.

While the consistory was happening in the Vatican, Filipino Catholics held a special vigil at the San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan City, offering prayers for David’s new role and participation in the mission of the Church.

A Thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated by the Kalookan diocese on Dec. 14, with the community invited “to join in offering prayers of gratitude and support for Cardinal David as he assumes this important new responsibility.”

“Cardinal David’s elevation is a testament to the vibrant faith of the local Church and its growing role within the Universal Church. This is a moment of celebration, not only for the Diocese of Kalookan but for the entire nation,” the Kalookan diocese said in a statement.

(2024/12/09-05:50)