Religious leaders were advised by a Catholic bishop to focus on their ministries instead of entering politics in 2010.

Tagbilaran, Bohol Bishop Leonardo Medroso said religious leaders should just focus on their ministry as this is their mission in life. “They have their own mission in life and that is to give the vision of eternity and morality to the people as this is what a person needs in his own moral life,” he said over Church-run Radio Veritas.

The chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Canon Law said religious leaders should leave politics to the lay faithful saying this is their competence.

“They are the ones who know the temporal orders because that is their world. So, therefore, they have all the competence,” said Medroso.

“I’m afraid if we allow priests and religious leaders to lead in politics we might confuse already the spiritual things and the temporal things,” he added. The Tagbilaran prelate, however, understands why religious leaders feel forced to enter politics in view of the country’s situation.

“Maybe they see that the country is in need of moral renovation and so they offered themselves,” Medroso said.

At least two religious leaders have already declared their candidacy for the presidency in next year’s polls, Jesus Is Lord (JIL) leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva and priest-turned Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio.