Rody visits Vidal’s wake

DAVAO CITY, Philippines —President Duterte kissed the coffin of Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal when he visited the cardinal’s wake in Cebu City on Sunday night. 

“I’m here to condole with you…Cardinal Vidal was a person of peace and his language was always something about spreading love. He would not even scold people...I know this because I am from Cebu, from Danao” the President said.

“In the years that he led the Church, you can never say anything bad about his eminence,” Duterte said.

The President commended Vidal for being conciliatory.

Vidal paid a courtesy call on Duterte at the height of the President’s criticisms of the Catholic Church and the bishops.

“We’re all different because we can’t always understand each other. But for as long as we listen to each other, all is good...We should listen to other people,” Duterte said.

Good rapport

“There could be good rapport between me and the church and the people, all our brothers and sisters, the Muslims...in Mindanao. We all need to talk,” he said.

The President apologized that he did not immediately visit Vidal’s wake, saying he had been busy, citing the crisis in Marawi.

“I’m here because first and foremost this is my obligation as a member of the Catholic Church. Secondly, it’s important for me to be here as a Cebuano and as your President,” Duterte said.

Holiday on burial day

As requested by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) and local government officials in Cebu, Duterte said he would declare Vidal’s burial on Oct. 26 a special non-working holiday in Cebu.

The OPAV said the holiday would allow residents to pay their last respects to the cardinal.

Vidal will be buried in a mausoleum at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral at around 9 a.m.

“When I die, just pray for me...No need to declare a holiday,” Duterte quipped.

The President also assured those who visited the wake that he does not intend to stay in power unlike the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

“I'm telling you, I give my word...in this house of God. We can’t lie here...maybe right now his eminence is listening,” he said.