Duterte, CBCP head to meet on Monday

MANILA, Philippines — Despite his differences with the Church, President Duterte has agreed to meet with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles on Monday at Malacañang.

But even after promising to be silent on his tiff with the Church, Duterte is ready to respond to members of the clergy who would criticize him, Malacañang said yesterday, even as the government is reaching out to the Church and other religious groups after the President sparked outrage for calling God “stupid.” 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said there should be a verbal “ceasefire” while the government and religious groups are holding a dialogue, but it should be observed by both sides.

“If there is going to be a cessation of hostile language, I think it has to be from both institutions,” Roque said at a press briefing yesterday. 

“If (members of the Church) criticize him, expect the President to respond. That’s the way it is. The President cannot be a sitting duck,” he added. 

Duterte drew the ire of Christians after saying that God was stupid for letting temptation tarnish his work. 

Some religious leaders have accused the President of blasphemy and demanded that he apologize for his comment. 

Duterte, who was born and raised Catholic, has claimed that his comment on God was a reaction to Australian nun Patricia Fox, who is facing possible deportation for allegedly engaging in partisan political activities. 

Despite his attempt to justify his controversial remarks, the President formed a committee to dialogue with religious groups who were offended by his statements. Last week, the tough-talking leader promised to refrain from talking about his quarrel with the Catholic Church, with which more than 80 percent of Filipinos are affiliated.

‘My God will not create hell’

But a week after making the promise, Duterte spoke anew about his views on God and his critics from the religious sector.

In a speech during the founding anniversary of Southern Leyte last Monday, Duterte asked his critics not to use God to attack him. 

“This is why I burst out of anger. They accused me and that made me curse out loud. To those religious who keep on criticizing me, this is how it is: do not use God. Do not include him in your criticisms against me, ‘God sentenced you to rot in there,’” the President said. 

“Because when I answer, I will include your God as well because you used him against me. That’s why I said that. Do not use God regardless if you’re a priest or a bishop. Just work hard there,” he added. 

Duterte also claimed that his God is “not foolish unlike the other gods who would create a hell.” 

“My God does not have heaven or hell,” Duterte said.

“Why would you create a hell?… What is my sin? Womanizing?... Would you still place me in hell? God is all forgiving. He does not know how to put you in hell. That’s not true,” he added. 

“My God is tougher. I can make him maul your God. He’s better,” he said.

Some Catholic bishops have been assailing Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs, which has left about 4,000 drug suspects dead. Duterte, however, claimed that the Church has no moral ascendancy to criticize him because of its supposed failure to curb the sexual abuses involving some priests.   

“God is what you conceive Him to be,” he said. 

Duterte then joked that he would not speak against the Church because he feared that his baptism in Maasin would be renounced. 

Roque said the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) has also expressed its intention to wash the feet of Duterte as an “act of humility.” 

‘Name names’

Meanwhile, in a statement released Monday night, Roque clarified that he was not accusing the Church of conniving with communists to overthrow the government. 

“What I was in fact saying is that I am not discounting the possibility that in the near future, some religious leaders might join the clamor for the President’s ouster,” Roque said. 

“I was not talking about the Church in general but only referring to those members of the Church who remain unhappy with the election of President,” he added.

The insecurity of Roque is showing for thinking that some clergymen are conniving with the communists to oust Duterte, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said yesterday.

Pabillo, chairman of the CBCP’s Commission on the Laity, reacted to news reports that Roque said there were Church leaders critical of the President because their preferred candidate lost during the 2016 presidential elections.  

Pabillo dared Roque to “name names.”

He added that Roque was only “spreading rumors, that is not responsible reporting; this is one way of spreading false news.” – With Evelyn Macairan