Bangsamoro advocate as Cotabato archbishop

RETIRED. Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo steps down as he is past retirement age. File photo by Angie Silva / Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, one of the staunchest advocates of the Mindanao peace process, resigned as archbishop of Cotabato after having reached the age of retirement, the Catholic Church said.

Pope Francis accepted Quevedo's resignation and appointed Bishop Angelito Lampon of Jolo as his successor, the Vatican announced on Tuesday evening, November 6.

Quevedo has long been pushed by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which aims to create a more powerful Muslim region in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao. The BOL is up for plebiscite on January 21, 2019.

Quevedo knows Mindanao inside out because he is well known.

In a widely-quoted paper, Quevedo said his "central belief" is "that the root cause of insurgency in the South is injustice."

He is also a strong voice for interreligious dialogue.

"It is the task of the leaders of the cause of terrorism, especially false beliefs of their respective constituents to others, the mutual biases, and prejudices that are deep-seated and sometimes explode into the open when social disputes, crimes, and violence occur, "Quevedo said in June 2017.

Long-overdue retirement

The Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) explains that it had been in effect since 2003 when it reached the age of 75.

The Pope did not accept the resignation Quevedo filed in 2014, according to CBCP News.

In fact, two months before he turned 75, Francis even made Quevedo a cardinal, giving him more prominence than ordinary bishops. A cardinal is an adviser of the Pope who, if less than 80 years old, is also able to elect his successor. (A traditional description for a cardinal is a "Prince of the Church," though this name is less widely used by Francis advocates simplicity.)

Quevedo is now 79.

Years before this, Quevedo made history as the first cardinal from Mindanao. He is only the 8th cardinal of the predominantly Catholic Philippines since the late Pope John XXIII created the first Filipino cardinal in 1960.

Quevedo's appointment as cardinal surprised many in 2014 because popes used to make Filipino cardinals only from Manila and Cebu. But Francis, who is trying to reach out to the world's peripheries, was making a point. (READ: Cardinal Quevedo has 'prophet' in Mindanao)

Today, the Philippines has 3 living cardinals – Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Cardinal, Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Rosales Cardinal, and Cardinal Quevedo. Of the 3, only Tagle and Quevedo can elect the next pope because Rosales is now 86, the best age for cardinal electors.

There are only 224 cardinals in the 1.2-billion-strong Catholic Church. Of this number, only 124 can elect the next pope. – Rappler.com