Eddie Villanueva: ‘Duterte should apologize for insulting God’

MANILA, Philippines — Evangelist-turned-politician Eddie Villanueva yesterday called on President Duterte to issue a public apology for insulting God in his recent speech.

Villanueva, founder of Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church Worldwide who ran and lost for president in 2004 and 2010, also threatened Duterte with a huge protest rally should he refuse to apologize.

The JIL leader said their umbrella organization, Philippines for Jesus Movement, can mobilize about 10 million members in the streets if Duterte refuses to say sorry for calling God “stupid.”

“We are representing 10 million people. I don’t believe the President will ignore this. Because once he ignores the collective wisdom of the body of Christ, this may lead to a kind of huge prayer rally that will design first to intercede and to... so-called spiritual warfare,” Villanueva said in an interview with ANC.

“And worst, I hope it will not lead to imprecatory prayers,” he added.

Villanueva believed that Duterte’s words were a “blasphemy” and warned that the President has invited the wrath of God to the country should he fail to make up for such blasphemy.

“To insult God to us is a kind of blasphemy in the highest order. The Bible is clear, when you slander God, you are inviting curses not only to yourself but to the entire nation, like calamities,” the JIL leader warned.

“No one can mock God. In Psalm Chapter 2, those who are mocking, persecuting God’s people, the faith of God’s people... God is just laughing at them. They are inviting the wrath of God,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged Filipinos who believe in God not to be distracted by the President’s “blasphemous” rant against God.

Hontiveros also said the President is just trying to divert attention from the issues which his administration has failed to address.

In a speech last June 22, Duterte questioned the story of creation in the book of Genesis, particularly the part when the serpent tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, which she later gave to Adam and caused malice and imperfection.

“Who is this stupid God? Estupido talaga itong p***** i** kung ganun (This son of a b**** is really stupid if that is the case). You created something perfect and then you think of an event that would tempt and destroy the quality of your work,” Duterte said.

“So now all of us are born with an original sin. The original sin… what was it? Was it the first kiss? What was the sin? Why original? Nasa womb ka pa, may kasalanan ka na (You are still in the womb, you already have sin),” he said.

“T**** i**** klase. Anong klaseng relihiyon ‘yan (What kind of a son of a b****. What kind of religion is that)?” the President said.

On Monday Duterte clarified that he was not talking about his God but was instead insulting the God of his critics. – With Eva Visperas