Philippines United Methodists elect two new bishops

A third is re-elected

MANILA – United Methodists in the Philippines have elected two new bishops and re-elected a third while celebrating their 100th anniversary as an annual conference of The United Methodist Church.

The Rev Rodolfo Alfonso Juan was chosen on the seventh ballot, while the Rev Lito Cabacungan Tangonan was elected in the 11th round of voting. Their four-year terms begin on Jan 1, 2009.

Bishop Leo Soriano was re-elected on the 22nd ballot early in the morning hours of Nov 24, 2008.

The elections were held during the United Methodist Philippines Central Conference session in Manila from Nov 19-24, 2008, with 496 delegates equally divided between clergy and laity. US Bishop Warner Brown Jr of the Denver Area presided over the proceedings.

Following the episcopal elections, Bishop Juan was assigned to the Baguio Episcopal Area, replacing Bishop Benjamin Justo. Bishop Tangonan will oversee the Manila Episcopal Area, replacing Bishop Solito Toquero. Bishop Soriano was reassigned to the Davao Episcopal Area.

Bishop Juan, 47, currently is on special appointment as Chaplain of the Armed Forces of the Philippines at a base in Fort Bonifacio. He was born in Baggao, Cagayan, and is married to Lurleen Lapuz, an optometrist. They have two children, Rudolph James, 14, and Pearl, seven months.

Bishop Tangonan, 51, the District Superintendent of Quezon City District of the Philippines Annual Conference East, is from San Mateo, Isabela. His wife, Jeanne Grace Domingo, is the internal auditor for Wesleyan University in the Philippines. They have one child, Kerussein Shalom, 18.

Meanwhile, Mr Justice Reynato Puno, a United Methodist who is the Chief Justice of the Philippines Supreme Court, used the backdrop of the conference to call for urgent action to address human rights violations in the Philippines.

He has questioned the roles of the Filipino Government and military in hundreds of deaths and abductions in the Philippines. Many of the victims have been church workers who support the poor.

“Telling the truth requires courage,” he said. – United Methodist News Service