Philippine’s Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David emerges as ‘dark horse’ in papal race

MANILA – Not just one but two Filipinos are being reported by international media as among the “papabile”, or cardinals likely to be elected to succeed Pope Francis during the Conclave, which began on May 7.

Aside from

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

, who has been dubbed the “Asian Francis”, the other contender is Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David, who is viewed as a “dark horse”.

In a press briefing in Rome organised by Bishop Accountability, Father Shay Cullen, an Irish missionary widely respected for his human rights work, said that Cardinal David is a good candidate for the papacy.

“I support Cardinal Pablo ‘Ambo’ David, a human rights defender who stood up to the killings during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s regime. He denounced the abuses and insisted that crimes committed by clergy be judged in civil courts.

“He is a person of integrity, and it would be very positive if Cardinal David were elected pope, representing the Philippines,” Father Cullen said through a video conference call.

“It’s time for a Filipino pope who defends human rights and protects children,” he added.

Father Cullen was one of three priests arrested on Sept 23, 1972, upon the declaration of martial law in the Philippines.

According to a report by Argentina-based conservative newspaper La Nacion, Cardinal David was also being scrutinised during the General Congregations, the meetings of all the members of the College of Cardinals in preparation for the Conclave.

“According to analysts, he could become a compromise candidate after initial rounds of voting reveal that the top two favourites lack the necessary consensus to reach the required 89 votes,” it said.

Cardinal David, the Kalookan bishop and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in his last consistory in December 2024.

The 66-year-old Cardinal David was described by the report as “similar to Tagle, charismatic – but reportedly bolder and less reserved. He also participated in the Synod on Synodality, where at least 60 cardinals got to know him”.

For Ms Fides Lim, spokesperson of the political prisoners group Kapatid, Father Cullen’s endorsement of Cardinal David “sharpened” the choices among the front runners of the papacy.

“Cardinal Ambo may just be the dark horse the universal Church needs now more than ever. After all, he’s cut from the same cloth as Pope Francis: humble, grounded, compassionate, merciful yet unafraid,” she told the Inquirer. THE PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK