Bishops should be killed says Filipino president

Monday, December 10th, 2018

Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte says bishops should be killed.

In a speech last week, Duterte accused bishops of being useless because they criticised his administration, which came to power in 2016.

Besides deriding Church leaders as “useless fools” who worship a “stupid” god, Duterte called the Church “the most hypocritical institution” for casting doubt on his extrajudicial drug war.

He also claimed 90 percent of priests are homosexuals who lack any standing to “postulate” on his morality.

The bishops have hit back, with one branding him a murderous madman.

Several bishops say the president’s call for them to be killed is dangerous.

“This is worrisome coming from a psychotic mind,” Bishop Arturo Bastes says, adding provocation should not be taken lightly.

“This should no longer be taken as joke.”

Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo says anyone who asks for others to be killed is not a real leader.

“He is instigating people to go against the law,” Pabillo says.

“I hope he is joking or he is really out of his mind.”

Bishop Ruperto Santos says the president lost moral authority with his “heartless, hateful and harmful call for the killing of bishops”.

The Philippines Council of the Laity has come out in support of the bishops.

The influential lay organisation is calling on Catholics “to stand up for God and defend our faith in Him … [and] renew our commitment to go and fill our churches.

“More than ever, [Catholics] are called upon to live a life worthy of our Christian vocation,” he says.

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