Church rallies faithful to oppose evils of drug war

MANILA, Philippines -  Reconciliation between President Duterte and the Catholic Church remains farfetched as bishops are not standing down their criticisms on his bloody war on drugs.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday rallied the faithful to join them in objecting to killings of drug suspects without due process in courts.

In a strongly worded pastoral statement read in masses nationwide yesterday, the CBCP stood firm in its stance against killing of drug suspects during police operations and by supposed vigilante groups, which they branded as “evil,” despite tirades from the tough-talking President.

“The life of every person comes from God. It is He who gives it, and it is He alone who can take it back. Not even the government has a right to kill life because it is only God’s steward and not the owner of life,” read the statement signed by CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

“We in the Church will continue to speak against evil even as we acknowledge and repent of our own shortcomings. We will do this even if it will bring persecution upon us because we are all brothers and sisters responsible for each other,” the bishops stressed.

The CBCP stressed that the drug menace cannot be corrected through committing another grave sin.

“Any action that harms another (seriously) is a grave sin. To push drugs is a grave sin, as is killing (except in self-defense). We cannot correct a wrong by doing another wrong. A good purpose is not a justification for using evil means. It is good to remove the drug problem, but to kill in order to achieve this is also wrong,” the bishops pointed out.

The CBCP statement, which was approved during their annual plenary assembly last week, also lamented that killings of drug suspects take away their rights and opportunities to defend themselves in trial and for reformation in penitentiary once convicted.

“The opportunity to change is never lost in every person. This is because God is merciful, as our Holy Father Pope Francis repeatedly teaches,” it explained.

The CBCP also called on authorities to respect and follow due process of law, which provides for the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

With its firm stand against killings that have reportedly victimized over 7,000 drug suspects, the CBCP called on the faithful to voice out similar objections to the government.

“To consent and to keep silent in front of evil is to be an accomplice to it. If we neglect the drug addicts and pushers, we have become part of the drug problem. If we consent or allow the killing of suspected drug addicts, we shall also be responsible for their deaths,” stressed the CBCP.

Lastly, the bishops appealed to elected officials to help the Duterte administration in addressing the drug menace and drop their personal and political interests.  

The statement was apparently in response to Duterte’s public insinuations on sins of several prelates, including alleged accepting of vehicles from government officials and having wives.

Duterte even called for the resignation of the bishops after their relentless criticisms on his war on drugs, which was marked by reports of summary killings and human rights violations.

The bishops clarified that they are not against the anti-illegal drugs program of Duterte per se as they support his platform to get rid of the drug menace plaguing the country. – With Eva Visperas