CHURCH officials on Sunday slammed anew President Duterte for his latest controversial remark against the Catholic Church, this time urging bystanders to rob and kill bishops.
Commission on Mission Chairman Bishop Arturo Bastes was appalled by the latest attempt of Duterte to
trivialize murder.
Duterte made the remark on Thursday during an event in Masbate, which made his audience laugh. He admitted he was irked by the Catholic Church’s allegations that the government’s war on illegal drugs led to widespread extra-judicial killings.
“Again his mouth has uttered absolutely silly things! And his ‘fans’ consider his murderous words as a mere joke! Is it a joke to advise people to kill?” Bastes said.
Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People Chairman Bishop Ruperto Santos said the President was promoting criminality and encouraging lawlessness.
“What kind of head of state encourages killing? His presidency is a disappointment to us, and a disgrace to the country. It is known as ‘kill, kill, kill,’”
Santos said.
Both prelates said the latest tirade of Duterte against the Catholic Church should be condemned for setting a bad example to the public.
“There should be a mass movement among decent Filipinos to make him desist from speaking like a devil,” Bastes said.
In Duterte’s defense, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said the remark was only aimed at bishops who lead ostentatious lives and fail to empathize with the masses.
Despite his “dramatic” remark against the prelates, Duterte respects the Christian faith as shown by his signing of the National Bible Day Act and speech for the Black Nazarene Devotees last week. Panelo said.