Bishops defend Tagle

MANILA, Philippines — While former Manila archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has yet to respond to President Duterte’s tirade on his appointment to the Vatican, some Catholic bishops have defended the cardinal and called the President’s allegations “foolish.”

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David simply laughed off a news article he shared on Facebook where Duterte claimed that Tagle was removed from the Archdiocese of Manila after he angered Pope Francis supposedly for meddling in politics.

“Unbelievably ludicrous,” David said in his Facebook account.

Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos also defended Tagle against “all lies” of Duterte on the prelate’s recent appointment as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in the Vatican.

“All lies – distortion of truth. They did not (know) what they are talking about, nor have a clearer picture of everything,” Santos said, adding that Tagle’s appointment “is a grace from God, a gift and blessing to the Philippines.”

The President had earlier claimed that the pope relieved Tagle as Manila archbishop because he had contributed funds to the opposition.

Duterte, who has been accused of making false claims and citing dubious data in some of his speeches, did not say where he got the information about Tagle.

Santos said Tagle’s work for the Catholic Church should not be tainted with Duterte’s lies as the former is “dedicated, devoted (and) his fidelity to Jesus and to the Church is solid and untainted.”

Santos added that Pope Francis will soon appoint Tagle’s successor.

The pope has appointed Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo as the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, a few weeks after Tagle left the Philippines earlier this year for his new post at the Vatican.

Pabillo said he does not see any reason to dignify “unfounded accusations” of Duterte against Tagle.

Just like the bishops, Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)-Public Affairs Committee, said Duterte’s words against Tagle are “simply twisted and reeks of intrigue.” – With Alexis Romero