MANGYAN DOT NET: Virtual City of Mindorenos!

Madonna Virola

CALAPAN CITY, Philippines-- To the surprise of many, including his mother, a Catholic priest filed his certificate of candidacy for governor of Occidental Mindoro against seasoned politician Governor Josephine Ramirez-Sato.

Fr. Ronilo “Ronnie” Maat Omanio said he wanted to be an alternative to Sato who, he claimed, could not heed the sentiments of many Mindoreños against mining and small town lottery -- two major issues being advocated by the local church during this “Year of Social Concerns.”

Omanio filed his candidacy at 8 p.m. on March 29, the Philippine Daily Inquirer learned from sources in Occidental Mindoro.

“My 15 years experience as a priest is enough qualification,” Omanio, 44, said in Filipino.

In a telephone interview, he told the Inquirer that he had been parish priest of the Holy Cross Parish in Sta. Cruz town for two years before he was suspended from performing the functions of a priest as a result of his entry into politics.

The suspension letter dated March 30 came from Occidental Mindoro Bishop Antonio Palang.

It was made into a circular letter and read in all parishes in the province.

The letter states that Omanio is not an official candidate of the Catholic Church.

A native of the village of Rumbang in Occidental Mindoro’s Rizal town, Omanio was ordained priest in April 1992.

He also served as assistant parish priest in the St. Joseph Parish cathedral, a chancellor of a bishop for two years, director of church-based radio station dzVT for two years and parish priest of San Rafael in Abra de Ilog town for five years and the St. Joseph the Husband Parish in the village of Central, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro for four years.

Omanio is a late vocationist. He graduated with a degree on education at the Divine Word College in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

He then taught Filipino at the Rizal National High School for one year before entering the Divine Word Seminary for Philosophy and Theology in Tagaytay.

His formation house was the St. Augustine Major Seminary, also in Tagaytay.

Asked what he had championed in the past that had made him a good bet for governor, Omanio said “The parishes I had served would not want me to leave because of what I had done to them -- I gave my self.”

When asked how he would handle the bigger scope of responsibilities as a governor, Omanio said “you’re like a mayor when you are a parish priest...15 years is enough.”

Omanio said he considered Sato his friend.

“She has supported me as a priest and my parishes. But I was compelled to run against her when I saw in Sta. Cruz town the problem in governance,” he added, refusing to elaborate.

He denied allegations that Jose T. Villarosa, a political rival of Sato, was behind him.

Omanio also denied rumors that he had bad feelings for the church.

“I will push for the activities of the church,” he added, claiming that other sects like the Sablayan evangelical ministers had expressed their support for him.

He claimed that he had friends in every parish.

Omanio said his adoption as guest candidate of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi, Partner of Free Filipinos) in the gubernatorial race was a big boost because he did not have machinery.

In case he loses, Omanio said he would go to Manila, get a teaching job for a year and think about going back to his priestly functions.

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