Bacani has 2 wives like me – Rody

MANILA, Philippines – Saying the Catholic Church was “full of s***” and accusing Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr. of having two wives like him, President Duterte yesterday said Church officials should resign if sex and corruption scandals involving the clergy are proven.

He also said some priests have bad breath and dirty hands when they serve communion.

To make it fair, he expressed his willingness to step down if his allegations about the clergy’s misdeeds are proven false.

“I challenge you now. I challenge the Catholic Church. You are full of s***. Mabaho kayo lahat  (You all stink),” Duterte, who has been at odds with the Catholic Church over his brutal war on illegal drugs, said during a dialogue with the family of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos who died in the 2015 Mamasapano clash.  

“I’ll make you a deal. Read this book and if I feel that almost everyone has read it, then go back to me and tell me binastos ko ang relihiyon at nagsisinungaling ako (I disrespected religion and I lied) and I will resign, I will resign. I will deliver my letter of resignation on bended knees. I will place it on (the monument of Jose) Rizal at Luneta as a Filipino. Pick it up there, provided you bishops will resign,” the Chief Executive added.

Duterte was referring to the book “Altar of Secrets,” a book written by the late journalist Aries Rufo, whom he erroneously described as a “narrator” of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

The 2003 book contained reports about the sex and corruption scandals involving members of the clergy.  

Duterte also accused retired Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr. of having two wives, aside from calling him a monkey. Bacani was the former bishop of Novaliches and was accused of sexual harassment in April 2003. He resigned from his post in the same year.

“P***** i**** Bacani, dalawa pala asawa pareho ko tapos pag magsalita ang unggoy na ‘to (This son of a b**** Bacani has two wives and yet this monkey talks like he is faultless),” the President said.

He then rehashed his tirades about homosexuality in seminaries and the supposed failure of the Church to uplift the lives of its faithful.

Duterte also chided the Catholic bishops for supposedly asking former president Gloria Arroyo to provide them with Pajero sports utility vehicles despite the constitutional provision on the separation of Church and state.

“That son of a b**** vehicle is so expensive and you asked for it even if many Filipinos have nothing to eat,” he said.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) claimed in 2011 that some Catholic bishops got Pajeros supposedly in exchange for their support for Arroyo.

Then PCSO chair Margarita Juico then apologized to the Senate after it was discovered that the bishops did not get the Pajeros but cheaper utility vehicles, which were then used for charitable missions in far-flung areas. The bishops have returned the vehicles to the government.   

Duterte went as far as accusing priests of having bad breath while administering confession and of having dirty hands while giving communion.

“Do not go to confession. When you face those crazies, sometimes (they did not brush their teeth). What did you eat last night?” he said.