Their opinion has not changed his views.

He remains determined to see his aim to rid the country of all drug users and dealers. By killing them.

Last weekend, a pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops' Conference was read at Masses throughout the country. It strongly criticised the Government's means of ridding the country of drugs.

It said killing people was not the answer to trafficking illegal drugs.

It also said it was disturbing that many people didn't care about the bloodshed, or even approved of it.

"An even greater cause of concern is the indifference of many to this kind of wrong.

"It is considered as normal, and, even worse, something that [according to those who practise it] needs to be done," the letter said.

Duterte defended his position, separating people into all those who wish to end drugs and those who follow Church rules.

"You Catholics, if you believe in your priests and bishops, you stay with them. If you want to go to heaven, then go to them," he said.

"Now, if you want to end drugs … I will go to hell. Come join me,"

Eighty per cent of the Filipino population is Catholic. Most attend Mass each week.

Although the letter did not mention Duterte by name, it urged "elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests".

It also called for steps to tackle "rogue policemen and corrupt judges".

The letter said the war on drugs has led to a "reign of terror" especially affecting the poor.

More than 7,000 people have died in the seven months since Duterte's campaign to rid the country of addicts and suppliers.

Over 2,500 of them were killed in what police say were shootouts during raids and sting operations.

Both the government and police have denied extrajudicial killings have taken place. The president's office had no immediate comment on the bishops' letter.

Source

• Crux
• Channel News Asia
• Image: Inquirer News

Last month's deal could see the US return to former naval and air force bases in the north of the country, warned Philippines bishops' conference spokesman Bishop Broderick Pabillo.

"The problem is we don't even know the details of what was signed," Bishop Pabillo said.

Under the new deal, the US will be allowed to deploy an unlimited number of military personnel in the Pacific nation, UCA News reported.

US forces left their bases in Subic Bay and Clark Field in 1992 after the Philippines Senate chose not to extend a treaty that allowed the Americans to have bases in the country.

On May 27, social justice and activist groups filed a petition questioning the constitutionality of the new agreement.

They also criticised the rent-free provision of facilities to the US military.

Also sought is a temporary restraining order, which would require the Philippines government "to cease and desist" from implementing the agreement.

"The text and subtext of the arguments in this petition are openly directed at the subservience of the Philippine government to the blatant and outright prevarications and lies that US interests have peddled for more than a century now," the petition stated.

The National Union of Peoples' Lawyers said the agreement is "nothing but a blatant mockery of our sovereignty and an assault to our national interest".

Philippine and US officials signed the deal last month during the visit of President Barack Obama to Manila.

The new agreement grants US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities, the right to construct facilities, and pre-position equipment, aircraft and vessels.

The pact, however, rules out permanent basing, as the Philippines constitution bans foreign military bases in the country unless covered by a treaty.

Neither country has revealed how many US troops are present in the Philippines, UCA News reported.

Tensions have been simmering between the Philippines and China over disputed territorial claims to islands in the South China Sea.

A recent incident led Philippines president Benigno Aquino to accuse China of playing a "dangerous game of brinkmanship and gunboat diplomacy".

Sources

• UCA News
• BBC
• Financial Times
• The Australian
• Image: Bicol Today

The proposed law seeks to provide funds for services on sex education, family planning and other reproductive health services — a term generally understood to include abortion.

"This is an important issue and this is a very good test whether the Philippines is a Catholic country or not," Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon diocese told Radio Veritas, a Catholic station. "I hope even those who are not Catholics who believe in the sacredness of life will not vote [for] the politicians pushing for the RH bill."

"We must use the Catholic vote and show them what the real Catholic is," said Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa. "There are fake Catholics here, they are the ones ruling in our country.

"We can only stop ethnic cleansing, [the] contraceptive mentality, immorality, increasing number of broken families, and promiscuity if we vote for candidates who love life."

Fears of Catholic voter backlash are believed to have caused debates on the bill to be postponed because not enough lawmakers were present for a quorum.

Manuel Mamba, head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, told the Inquirer News that lawmakers do not want to provoke their parish priests by appearing in the deliberations on the bill or voting for it.

"By voting for the measure, you're provoking the Catholic hierarchy," Mamba said. "In local politics, there is a Catholic vote, especially in areas where the clergy are very influential on their flock. If the clergy are popular, they have the pulpit. They can do it every Sunday."

But Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu, president of the bishops conference, insisted there was no such thing as a "Catholic vote" and no history of "block voting". He said news reports had "misinterpreted" what Archbishop Arguelles said.

"It's up to the people to make their own decisions" in electing their political leaders, Archbishop Palma said. He added that the bishops' conference would come up with "guidelines" for Catholic voters.

Sources:

Catholic News Agency

UCA News

Image: Inquirer News

The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Bishop Nereo Odchimar, also said that the seven bishops involved were ready to "face the consequences" if they were found to have broken the law.

"We express... our deep sorrow for the pain that the recent events have brought to you our beloved people," Odchimar said in a statement.

It was revealed last week that the government's lotto operator made donations to the bishops friendly to ex-President Gloria Arroyo, in exchange for political favours.

The bishops, labelled the "Pajero Bishops," each received a 4WD Mitsubishi Pajero and cash.

Philippines lawmakers are investigating the allegations against the bishops and whether the donations were illegal and violated the constitutional separation of church and state.

While ucanews.com reports the scandal has hurt the Church, the presidential palace said it will not affect church relations with the Government.

The Church is a "partner of the government when it comes to charity," Abigail Valte, President Benigno Aquino's spokesperson said.

The government needs "all the help it can get" in helping those in need, she added.

In order to put an end to the speculation there have been calls for former president Arroyo to speak and clarify the matter.

Sources

• Yahoo News Philippines
• ucanews.com
• ucanews.com
• Straits Times

Lagman called the reception of these gifts "morally offensive."

"The Catholic Church is way too rich to be a charity case and has more than sufficient resources to finance its charitable work without competing with countless indigent patients and legitimate charity beneficiaries," the minority lawmaker said.

PCSO Chair Margarita Juico had claimed former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo gave 6 or 7 Mitsubishi Pajeros to bishops before she stepped down from office to get their support.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Curz confirmed that some Filipino Catholic bishops received monetary aid and luxury vehicles from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office during the Arroyo administration. However, he would not confirm that they were bribes for their political support.

Cotaboto Archbishop, Oriando Quevedo said lots of Catholic agencies have asked for aid from the state-owned lottery agency for their social projects and that it's been a long-standing practice, back to the time of President Aquino.

ABS-CBN News reports Quevedo as saying the PCSO donations are intended for social services, poverty alleviation and socio-economic development.

Meanwhile the Catholic bishops of the Philippines have agreed they will discuss the matter during their meeting in Manila this week.

Sources

• ABS-CBN News
• ABS-CBN News
• GMA News
• Sun Star
• Image: egm Cartech