07 July 2013, 3:30 p.m. – LINGAYEN-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas was elected the new president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Sunday afternoon.
“Yes, the body elected Archbishop Soc [as the new CBCP president]. I am happy,” Cebu Archbishop and incumbent CBCP President Jose Palma said in a text message to the Varsitarian.
Villegas, incumbent CBCP vice president, will replace Palma in December. Palma did not seek a second term to focus on pastoral work in his own archdiocese.
Traditionally, CBCP officials have a two-year tenure. However, Palma said he had asked his fellow bishops not to re-elect him. He said he wanted to “give more attention” to the Cebu Archdiocese which will host the International Eucharistic Congress in 2016.
Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles was named vice president. Fr. Melvin Mejia will replace Msgr. Joselito Asis as
secretary general. Palo Archbishop John Du, meanwhile, was re-elected treasurer.
According to the CBCP, Villegas and Valles will start their terms on December 1, 2013.
The election coincided with the body’s midyear plenary assembly at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Paco, Manila. Angeli Mae S. Cantillana
