Ex-priest Evasco named 4th member of panel in church dialogue

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr. as the fourth member of the panel formed to dialogue with the Catholic Church and other religious groups, Malacañang said Thursday.

 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Evasco, a former priest, may have been asked to join the panel because of his familiarity with Catholic dogma.

 

“I was just informed very late last night that he (Evasco) will be the fourth member,” Roque said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

 

Evasco will join Roque, political strategist Pastor “Boy” Saycon and foreign affairs undersecretary Ernesto Abella in the committee. 

 

Evasco was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1970 and was assigned in different municipalities in the province of Bohol. He also served as mayor for Maribojoc from 2007 to 2016. 

 

He was also appointed as head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council in 2016 after Vice President Leni Robredo ressigned from her post. 

 

The committee was created after Duterte drew flak from different Christian groups for calling God "stupid" during one of his speeches last week.

 

The president said God may have been stupid because He let temptation destroy his perfect work.

 

Duterte later on claimed that his comment was taken out of context and that his tirades was a reaction to Sis. Patricia Fox, an Australian nun accused of speaking during workers' rallies.  — Job Manahan