2 ‘THE MAKING OF 4 FILIPINO Recto’s evelestng cet that he saw these contaditions ‘han his cofleares an that unite the ecasona! monet ov of hs conteports, ronution become a cont ese arc Se ae eee spose Dest theft tat hc hing ha sty ey 1 oma oor conference with ihe Chole Mhrchy Tose ae Sue propos! inasmuch Mordet t etter, ol himself testified against the bill during pea hearing. A closed door conference was obviously one 0! a lscussion of the Rizal bill. These clerics, many of ther forvigner, ‘were secking conferences with senators to. convince them to ‘oppose the Rizal bill* ae [NEW INSIGHTS AND NEW AWARENESS 245 ‘A more ovgariaed campsign against the bil was launched under the auspices of the Catholic Action of Mania, Its first SEiiity sas 2 aymposim and open foram in which two Shnounceents wee made: fst, thatthe Senne, ofleial onan Sf Mippine Cathode. Aetion, would eaeforth be published Gaiyinscad of weokly,and cond, that Filipino Catfoles would eNaged to write th comgresamen and senators asking them 10 “alte Ria ble Speers at the symposiom offered a variety cfobjections io the anaaire. Fr esus Cavan, introduced a8 a ‘Shitty on Kitah id at the novels “belong to the past” andi ‘Toute be “hana” (0 send them because they preseated 3 “ase Jeti of conditions ia the eountry at cat time. He described Tie Nall Me Tangere as” a0 attack on the clergy” and sai its ject wan to "pat to edie the Catholic Faith.” He alleged that the novel was act realy patriotic Decase out of 333 pages only 7S contained pice. posages while 120 were devoted 0 SnaiCathouc stacks, Seats, ‘Percé:: 2 radio. commentator, ‘celaed that ance some parts of te novels had Been declared “objectionable iatter” by the hierarchy, Catholics tal the re to vofuse to read them 0 as not to “endanger their sation.” NNuccho Pimentel, Jr, another radio commentator, offered the {mterstng speculation thatthe bil vas Recto's revenge arainst the (Catholic voters who, together with Nagsysay, wate responsible for fis poor shoving in the 1955 senatorial elections ‘Aesiat this beckyround of bitter opposition, one can more fully appreciate the mtepity and courage of Recto in championing the bil te stubboraly poristed in his defense, wnmindtul ofthe at athe was antgoalsing a vital electoral element In a taceshour spopeh on the Senate floor, he attacked he ieratchy of tne Catnol euch for its pastoral eter. He desired hat the pastoral letter had been “more severe” in ite com {Sinsation of the novels than » committee of Spanish Deminiean pricals whow findings had reauled in Rizal's execution. In support Lf is contention, he brought up the fact that the pastoral etter had ited 170 passages fom te ol! and 50 from the FU wii it oginded as attacks on the doctrines and dogmas of the Catholic ‘hush, He side could understand the foreign cleny taking such {postion but he found it difficult to understand how Filipinom6 THE MAKING OF A FILIPINO sp“ nt bog wr tn cou adopt such a stand when Rizal exalted the Filipin. rj = Teh co gs a ser eas guar mtd lah ee ae bare an Se special diepanention from church mothorities Having taken adh vanond scholastic philosnphy and cof aoe fib enh ‘of footnoted editions of the novels Doe e oncera ica sich Ris rege ert Sepa acs Coenen ene fet i Sean St at eae Set ‘ii of hecho! apn ge rootig heaters te tc renin sea a dy i Roa ss ee a rr the mationbeation of tools He contended tht ee Sa le eho a eee = A ches bere re spas or aes a ra pita eae bitter. 4s speech fed tat ie cra eee ea ‘iota ase ie aa ee rte ss a ce, iatag Tern Str pire ae ie ST nate erate anmre mn eer aenneene tien le branded Yap as “the modern-day Torquemads.” m4 “Jb NEWINSIGHTS AND NEW AWARENESS 247 ‘Phaty, on May 12, the month-lt controversy ended with amangnous approval of sibsitute measure authored By Senator ld bets on te proposls of Senators RowlerT.Lim ad The bil as paed wes charly an accom Hrumanueh Pees. ‘ebduton 30 tie chjections ofthe Catholic hierarchy and Laurel id as muse Thowgls tail provided thatthe ba txts in the ‘eine couses should be the unexpangaed editions ofthe to Sores it was now possible for students fo be exempted from She te umespuryated editions cn grounds of religious belie Crimes of the orginal Recto. verion joblantty claimed + Tepsts viktory.” Proponents felt they had af least wined something THE BASES QUESTION ‘Gn July 4. 1956, Richard M. Noxon on a vist here isued « Joint staizment with Magsaysay aifirming Philippine title to ‘Aincan 7s lac in the country. Recto immedtely sought « ‘definition ofthe sovereignty proncuncement of Nixon. He si 1 hope what Me Nac sit abos ove wot any aertat om ont connp of evel. Soreegly ca Oy ihesprneltneud the oerin of ov law nd cours will be recalled that Attorney-General Brownell Rad pro- pound! the dicta» of American ownersip of these bases, Recto is the forenon epponest of ths thinking. The Supreme Court Ted the comvoversy with its decon in the ene of Sun Life v5. rowaelt Tae joint satement was an affirmation of the cour opinion, Romolo, taking advantage of the situation, ted to chim credit fr petting he American affirmation. At the sme time, he SiSned natonlistogtatore for having. delayed the American ‘lcision by thet belligerence. Recto couk! not Jet this pat. In a seit ened "The Sinallns of «Little Nan,” be expressed his ote that “it was the beliperence of those to whom he (Romulo) Tesnasoutsle the Administration’ that sally brovght about the TRevtaition of our soveregaty over and our ownership of rat Romulo who was “fencesitting” ‘American bases hnglow al along should now play the hero was {oo much for Recto to fake. He pt Romo in space.