FOLLOWING “death threats” supposedly being received by Catholic priests, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, February 25, recanted his earlier statement to “kill” moneyed bishops as he now appealed to the public to stop harassing the clergy.
In a speech delivered in Pasay City, the President made it clear that he would be an “enemy” of anyone who would try to harm any members of the Catholic Church.
He also stressed that his relentless foul-mouthed tirades against the Catholic Church were merely directed to a priest who wished him ill.
“Ganito, iyang away ko sa Katoliko, amin lang ‘yan personal. Kayong mga adik, huwag ninyong totohanin ‘yung pukpukin ‘yung mga bishop pati kardinal. Hindi sila kasali sa political ruckus. Ako I was just responding, sinagot ko lang ‘yung pari na mamatay ako. Pero huwag ninyo patayin talaga ‘yung mga obispo pati pari,” Duterte said.
(My rift with the Catholic Church is personal. To the addicts, do not heed my call to hurt bishops and cardinals. They’re not involved in political ruckus. I was just responding to the priest who wants me to die. But do not really kill bishops and priests.)
“It is not allowed... ‘Pag ginawa mo yan sa kanila, ako mismo ang kalaban mo at ako ang hihirit sa’yo, kasi ginawa mo yan para siraan ako (If you do that, I’ll be your enemy and I’ll go after you because you’re doing that to vilify me),” he added.
Duterte made the remark even after he repeatedly urged bystanders to “rob and kill” moneyed bishops.
His latest warning to the public came after receiving a message from Manila Archbishop Luis Cardinal Tagle that some priests, including Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, were receiving death threats from the President’s camp.
David was one of the bishops criticized by Duterte for allegedly stealing money and supposedly being involved in illegal drug trade.
Part of Tagle’s message read by Duterte claimed that some priests were getting death threats from “someone claiming to be working from the President’s family.”
The President, however, alluded that the threats came from his opponents.
“Naninira ito. Sigurado sa kabila iyan (It’s meant to taint my reputation. I’m sure it came from the opposition),” he said.
“Ano naman ang makuha ko, ‘pag patayin ko iyang pari? Mas marami pang mabyuda, malay mo, tatlo pa ang girlfriend niyan. Bakit ko patayin ang pari? (What will I gain if I kill a priest? Many will be widowed because a priest may have three girlfriends. So why would I kill a priest?)” he added. (SunStar Philippines)