PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 25, clarified that his "stupid God" remark wqas directed at the Catholic Church, which has been teaching its flock the allegedly faulty creation story as stated in the Bible.

"I never said I never had God. Ang sabi ko (I said), your God is not my God. Your God is stupid. My God is perfect," the President said during the oath taking of newly election village chairpersons in Northern Mindanao region.

"Wala akong sinabing torpe yung Ginoo ko. You review the tapes. Di ba sinabi ko, your God is not my God because your God is stupid. Mine has a lot of common sense," he added.

(I did not say my God is stupid. You review the tapes. I said your God is not my God because your God is stupid. Mine has a lot of common sense.)

Duterte stressed in his latest speech in Cagayan de Oro City that he believes in a universal being who is "more supreme" than all the gods of men.

"Ako, I believe in universal being. There is somebody there, more supreme than the rest of the gods of men. Meron talaga diyan," the President said.

(I believe in universal being. There is somebody there, more supreme than the rest of the gods of men. It does exist.)

"Kasi kapag hindi, with all the billions and trillions of stars, kung walang nagki-control diyan, sumabog na tayong lahat."

(Because if it does not exist, with all the billions and trillions of stars, if no one is controlling those, we might have exploded already.)

The President did not take back his previous remark, when he said that God's "greatest blunder" was to tempt Adam and Eve, the first humans to inhabit the Earth, to eat the forbidden fruit.

He said he is willing to "kneel down" and "ask for forgiveness" if there is someone who could prove that the God of the Catholic Church is "perfect."

"They're taking against me the cudgels for saying, 'Your God is stupid.' Totoo naman.... Tell me if I am wrong. Tell me if I am wrong when I say it was a mistake for God to do it?" he said.

(They're taking against me the cudgels for saying, 'Your God is stupid.' But that's true. Tell me if I am wrong. Tell me if I am wrong when I say it was a mistake for God to do it?)

"O ngayon, tell me if it is a perfect God. Luluhod ako rito. I will kneel down and stretch my hand, and ask for forgiveness. Tell me if it is a very poignant story of the history of mankind or it if it is really a stupid one. Kaya hindi ako maniwala na ganon. Kalokohan. Iyang tinuturo ng sabi ko, mga pari, estupido kayong lahat," he added.

(Now, tell me if it is a perfect God. I will kneel down here. I will kneel down and stretch my hand, and ask for forgiveness. Tell me if it is a very poignant story of the history of mankind or it if it is really a stupid one. I don't believe in it. That's foolishness. These priests are stupid to preach that [kind of creation story in the Bible].)

Earlier Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the President's "stupid God" remark may have stemmed from the alleged sexual abuse committed by a Catholic priest against him.

Roque said the Catholic Church should apologize to Duterte and other victims of sexual abuse committed by priests. (SunStar Philippines)