{{Short description|Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church (1934–2020)}} {{Philippine name|Valero|Cruz}} {{Use Philippine English|date=April 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific-prefix = The Most Reverend | name = Oscar Valero Cruz | honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|list=D.D., J.C.D.|size=100%}} | title = Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Lingayen–Dagupan | image = | alt = | caption = | church = Catholic Church | archdiocese = Lingayen–Dagupan | appointed = July 15, 1991 | enthroned = August 24, 1991 | retired = November 4, 2009 | predecessor = Federico Guba Limon | successor = Socrates B. Villegas | other_post = <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|11|17|mf=y}} | birth_place = Balanga, Bataan, Philippine Islands | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|08|26|1934|11|17|mf=y}} | death_place = San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines | previous_post = {{indented plainlist| * Titular Bishop of Martirano (1976{{nbnd}}1978) * Auxiliary Bishop of Manila (1976{{nbnd}}1978) * Archbishop of San Fernando (1978{{nbnd}}1988) }} | buried = Santuario de San Juan Evangelista, Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines | education = {{Ubl | University of Santo Tomas | Lateran University }} | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Oscar Valero Cruz.svg | motto = {{langnf|la|{{nowrap|Iustitia Custodit Innocentis Viam}}|Justice guards the way of the innocent|break=yes|paren=left}}; {{Bibleverse|Proverbs|13:16}}) <!---------- Orders ----------> | module = {{Ordination | embed = yes | expand = | denomination = Catholic | name = Oscar Valero Cruz | alternate name = | ordained deacon by = | date of diaconal ordination = | place of diaconal ordination = | ordained priest by = | date of priestly ordination = February 10, 1962 | place of priestly ordination = | consecrated by = Bruno Torpigliani | co-consecrators = {{br list | Jaime Lachica Sin | Artemio Gabriel Casas }} | date of consecration = May 3, 1976 | place of consecration = Manila Cathedral | sources = {{big|Catholic-Hierarchy.org<ref name="catholic-hierarchy.bcruzov">{{Cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcruzov.html |title=Archbishop Oscar Valero Cruz |publisher=David M. Cheney |date=February 25, 2024 |accessdate=March 12, 2024 |archive-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918072856/http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcruzov.html |url-status=live }}</ref>}} }} <!-- end of Ordination infobox --> }} <!-- end of Infobox Chrisitian leader --> '''Oscar Valero Cruz''' (November 17, 1934 – August 26, 2020) was a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. He was the Archbishop of Lingayen–Dagupan in Pangasinan, Philippines, from 1991 until his retirement in 2009.

==Biography== Oscar Cruz was born on November 17, 1934, in Balanga, Bataan, Philippines. He received his seminary training at the University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary, and further theology studies at the Lateran University.

His priestly ordination was on February 8, 1962, and his episcopal consecration on May 3, 1976. He was the first Filipino rector of San Carlos Seminary of the Archdiocese of Manila from 1973 to 1978. He was an auxiliary bishop of Manila (1976–1978) and archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando (1978–1988). He served as a judicial vicar of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) National Tribunal of Appeals, and director of the CBCP Legal Office. He was appointed Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan on July 15, 1991.

Cruz published many books, including ''CBCP Guidelines on Sexual Abuse and Misconduct: A Critique'', and ''Call of the Laity''.

Cruz was elected President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences and served from 1993–2000.

==Controversy== Manila RTC, Branch 52 Judge Antonio Rosales on May 14, 2008, issued the warrant of arrest, granted the P10,000 bail motion, and Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz posted bail. Libel cases were filed against him after he accused the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) of using female staff to act like "guest relations officers (GROs)" during the 2004 birthday celebration of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. His arraignment was set on June 17.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gmanews.tv/video/22567/Archbishop-Cruz-to-post-bail-for-libel-case-on-Wednesday |title=gmanews.tv, Archbishop Cruz to post bail for libel case on Wednesday, 14 May 2008 |access-date=May 14, 2008 |archive-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522050153/http://www.gmanews.tv/video/22567/Archbishop-Cruz-to-post-bail-for-libel-case-on-Wednesday |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gmanews.tv/story/95114/Bishop-posts-bail-court-sets-arraignment-on-June-17 |title=gmanews.tv, Bishop posts bail; court sets arraignment on June 17 |date=May 14, 2008 |access-date=May 14, 2008 |archive-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522050214/http://www.gmanews.tv/story/95114/Bishop-posts-bail-court-sets-arraignment-on-June-17 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Retirement== On September 8, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the retirement of Archbishop Cruz and was effective on November 4, 2009 where he was succeeded by Socrates Villegas of the Diocese of Balanga.<ref name="cruz.resignation">{{Cite press release |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2009/09/08/0544/01266.html |title=Rinunce e Nomine, 08.09.2009 |trans-title=Resignations and Appointments, 08.09.2009 |publisher=Holy See Press Office |date=September 8, 2009 |id=B0544 |language=it |access-date=March 13, 2024 |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430054045/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2009/09/08/0544/01266.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="catholic-hierarchy.bvils">{{Cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bvils.html |title=Archbishop Socrates Buenaventura Villegas |publisher=David M. Cheney |date=March 6, 2024 |accessdate=March 12, 2024 |archive-date=February 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225201649/http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bvils.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Death== Cruz died from complications of multiple organ failure caused by COVID-19 on August 26, 2020, at age 85 during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1327183/lingayen-dagupan-archbishop-emeritus-oscar-cruz-dies-at-85|title = Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop emeritus Oscar Cruz dies at 85|newspaper = Philippine Daily Inquirer|date = August 26, 2020|access-date = August 26, 2020|last = Gonzales|first = Cathrine|archive-date = September 13, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200913055613/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1327183/lingayen-dagupan-archbishop-emeritus-oscar-cruz-dies-at-85|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/8/26/former-CBCP-president-Oscar-Cruz-dies-.html|title = Former CBCP president Oscar Cruz succumbs to COVID-19|work = CNN Philippines|date = August 26, 2020|access-date = August 26, 2020|archive-date = August 26, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200826062103/https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/8/26/former-CBCP-president-Oscar-Cruz-dies-.html|url-status = dead}}</ref>

==See also== * List of Filipino bishops

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{wikiquote inline|Oscar Valero Cruz}} * {{Commons category inline}} * {{Official website|http://www.archbishopcruz.com}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022}} * [http://www.ovc.blogspot.com Viewpoints: Personal Views and Commentaries of Oscar Cruz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227123206/http://ovc.blogspot.com/ |date=February 27, 2021 }} * [http://www.cbcponline.net/bishops/archbishops/ovcruz.html CBCP Online, Profile of Oscar V. Cruz]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409003409/http://www.cbcponline.net/bishops/archbishops/ovcruz.html |date=April 9, 2018}} * [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcruzov.html Cruz profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918072856/http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcruzov.html |date=September 18, 2023 }} at Catholic-Hierarchy.org * [https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/ling0.htm?focus=3143&tab=bishops Cruz profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313035205/https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/ling0.htm?focus=3143&tab=bishops |date=March 13, 2024 }} at [http://www.gcatholic.org GCatholic.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120035318/http://www.gcatholic.org/ |date=January 20, 2016 }}

{{S-start}} {{s-aca}} {{s-new}} {{s-ttl|title=Rector of San Carlos Seminary|years=1978–1980}} {{s-aft|after=Protacio Gungon}} {{S-rel|ca}} {{succession box | before= Emilio Abera Cinense| title=Archbishop of San Fernando | years=May 22, 1978 &ndash; October 24, 1988| after=Paciano Aniceto}} {{succession box | before=Federico G. Limon| title=Archbishop of Lingayen–Dagupan | years=August 24, 1991 &ndash; November 4, 2009 | after=Socrates B. Villegas}} {{succession box | before=Carmelo Dominador Flores Morelos| title= CBCP President | years=December 1, 1995 &ndash; November 30, 1999 | after=Orlando Quevedo }}

{{S-end}}

{{Philippine Roman Catholic Archbishops|state=collapsed}} {{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando}}

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Philippines}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Oscar}} Category:1934 births Category:2020 deaths Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the Philippines Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the Philippines Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines Category:People from Bataan Category:People from Pampanga Category:People from Pangasinan Category:People from San Juan, Metro Manila Category:Presidents of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Lingayen–Dagupan Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of San Fernando Category:University of Santo Tomas alumni