A spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte has responded to the launching of a 33-day period of religious activities aimed at stopping extrajudicial killings in the country, by expressing a desire to build a better relationship with the Catholic Church.
Harry Roque said that as of September 30, authorities have been investigating 2,243 incidents with “drug-related motives”.
He added that the “President himself made a clear stance that any violation committed by the police during operations would be dealt with accordingly.
“Accountability is essential to good governance,” he added.
Roque said that the government is one with the Church in the “true healing of this nation that has long been divided by politics.”
He said they wanted to build a better relationship with the Catholic Church.
They would like to have the cooperation of its leaders and are calling on Catholics to pro-actively help the government in its anti-illegal drug campaign.
He added that one area in which the Chuch could help was the rehabilitation and treatment of drug dependents.
At a forum in Quezon City on Saturday, the Philippines Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCP) and various sectoral and church groups announced their plan of a holding a 33-day period of religious activities meant to amplify their call to stop extrajudicial killings in the country.
The activities began with Mass at the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA, in Manila on Sunday
The CBCP is asking people to pray the rosary for 33 days until the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.
This new campaign follows an earlier 40-day “mourning period” that culminated on November 2, All Souls’ Day, with a symbolic tolling of bells and lighting of candles for thousands of people killed in President Rodrigo Duterte’s 16-month war on drugs.
Source
- Reuters
- GMA News
- GMA news
- Image: Dailypedia
