(Eagle News) – Malacañang hit officials of the Catholic Church on Sunday for claiming that there was a supposed “reign of terror” in many places under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, saying these Catholic leaders seem to be “out of touch” with the sentiments of their own people.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella particularly put to task the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for issuing a pastoral letter that raised concerns on this supposed “reign of terror” because of the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
“The officials of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines are apparently out of touch with the sentiments of the faithful who overwhelmingly support the changes in the Philippines — turning the nation into a safer place for families, working people, especially young night shift workers, far from the “terror” the bishops paint rather dramatically,” Abella said in a statement Sunday.
He said that the Catholic Church leaders, instead of always blaming and criticizing the government, should put their efforts in teaching their faithful to have a strong moral character and to stay away from illegal activities.
“The efforts of these Church leaders might be put to better use in practical catechetics that build strong moral character among the faithful, and so contribute more to the reign of peace felt by ordinary citizens everywhere, especially those who are innocent of illegal activities,” he added.
In its pastoral letter, the Catholic bishops said: “We, your bishops, are deeply concerned due to many deaths and killings in the campaign against prohibited drugs. This traffic in illegal drugs needs to be stopped and overcome. But the solution does not lie in the killing of suspected drug users and pushers. We are concerned not only for those who have been killed. The situation of the families of those killed is also cause for concern. Their lives have only become worse. An Additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs. Those who kill them are not brought to account. 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 them) needs to be done.”
After this the Catholic bishops’ pastoral letter claimed that they want change.
-CBCP says they “want change”
“We are one with many of our countrymen who want change. But change must be guided by truth and justice,” the CBCP issued pastoral letter said.
Abella noted that this statement by the Catholic priests was far from the truth, as many of the population actually supports the President war against drugs and criminality.
Palace officials also noted that the President was swift in making the necessary changes in the government’s anti-drugs war after the controversial Jee Ick-Joo kidnap-slay. They referred to the President’s move to abolish all anti-drug units of the PNP, as well as the directive that barred the police and the National Bureau of Investigation from conducting illegal drug operations.
-But crime rate at an all time low, says SWS
The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey also showed that Filipinos felt there was less crime in the last quarter of the Duterte administration in 2016 compared to previous quarters or years.
SWS said the latest figure was a new record-low. It beat the previous record of 5.5-percent victimization by property crimes in March and June 2015, and 1.9 percentage points lower than the 6.4 percent recorded in September.
“All these readings led to a new quarterly record-low 4.9% (3.1 million families) who reported a brush with common crimes – ‘with an average of 12 crimes for every 10 victimized families’– 1.9 points below the previous record of 6.8% (4.2 million families) in September. Still, the 8.2% annual victimization by common crimes reading last year was 1.4 points more than 2015’s 6.8%,” SWS said.
The Catholic bishops’ pastoral letter came in the wake of a report by Amnesty International (AI) that hit police abuses in the illegal drugs war.
It was also issued after President Duterte had repeatedly criticized Catholic priests and bishops branding them as hypocrites, and calling attention to a book, “Altar of Secrets” written by journalist Aries Rufo, a veteran reporter who had covered the CBCP for several years. The book exposed corruption, sexual abuse, homosexuality and other secrets of Catholic clergy.
The President said that one day he too will write a book entitled, “Hypocrisy” and that the Catholic bishops and priests will be in the “starring” role.
-Hypocrite priests, says Duterte-
“Kaya sabi ko one day, I will write a book: Hypocrisy. Lahat ‘yan politician, nagmamalinis, asus. Pero kayo ang starring diyan. I will start from the day noong bata pa kami,” the President said criticizing Catholic bishops and priests in an earlier speech last month.
Duterte admitted he was a victim of sexual molestation when he was a young boy by Catholic priests.
“You know, huwag ninyo akong anuhin, kayong mga pari. When we were young, kausap ko mga Cabinet members. When we were making confessions to you, we were being molested, hinahawakan na kami. Kayong mga… What is your moral ascendancy in the Philippines? Religion? What is the meaning of it? Hindi kayo nakakatulong, daldal kayo nang daldal.” the President said.
Duterte then hit the Catholic Church for corruption, asking them to explain where the money from Church offerings had gone to.
“So bakit kaming mga nasa gobyerno na pwede ninyong sabihin, kayo ganon ito. O kami na ngayon ang magtanong. Katoliko man ako. Anong ginagawa ninyo sa pera? Anong gawin ninyo kabaklaan ninyo diyan sa mga seminaryo ninyo? Anong pinaggagawa ninyo sa mga bata noon? Did you investigate us? Mga l**** kayo,” Duterte said as he cursed the priests and bishops.
“Mabuti ‘yang prangka-prangka tayo. My term is a presidency of — prangka-prangka tayo. Wala nang tago-tago dito. Huwag tayong magtaguan.” he said.
-Duterte hits corruption, sexual abuse done by Catholic priests
“Nauna kayo. Ako walang problema magsabi, I challenge you now, I challenge the Catholic Church, you are full of s**t at mabaho rin kayong lahat, corruption and all,” Duterte said.
He cited several Catholic bishops and priests asking for and receiving expensive Pajeros and other expensive vehicles during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2011.
“Iyon lang pagtanggap ninyo, paggamit, paghingi ninyo ng Pajero. Hindi na kayo nahiya sa sarili ninyo? Pagkamahal-mahal niyang p****** i** na ‘yan, maraming Pilipino walang pangkain,” Duterte said hitting the Catholic leaders hard.
The Commission on Audit (COA) then confirmed that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office purchased five vehicles worth P6.94 million that were granted to Catholic Church archdioceses. COA said that this is a violation of the Constitution, which states that no public funds should be appropriated for the benefit of any church, sect or denomination.
“Binigyan kayo knowing that there is a principle of separation between Church and State. It was sheerly, purely graft and corruption because you did not deserve it,” Duterte said.
“You cannot use property or money for your comfort. Hindi ‘yan para inyo para sa gobyerno but you had the gall. Kung kayo ang magkamali, okay lang.”
“Ang mali ninyo okay lang, ang amin hindi? Kalokohan ‘yan. Extrajudicial killing, tumulong kayo,” Duterte stressed.
The President also hit how the Catholic priests and bishops persistently criticizing the alleged extrajudicial killings of those allegedly involved in drugs.
“May isang simbahan pa roon ipinapakita ‘yung mga extrajudicial (killings). Anong ginawa ng simbahan? Kayong simbahan ng Katoliko. Milyon ang kita ninyo linggo-linggo all throughout the Philippines, karaming simbahan. Saan ang pera ng tao?,” the President said.
“Kami, ‘yung pera namin, ine-explain namin sa tao. Kayo? Kayong mga pari, mga Obispo. Ang gaganda ng suot ninyo, mga kotse. Meron ba kayong isang bahay lang maski limang kwarto para rehab? Anong ginawa niyo sa simbahan ninyo?” Duterte said.
-“All you have to do is preach” vs drug use, Duterte tells priests
President Duterte said that if the Catholic bishops and priests are really serious in helping solve the illegal drug problem in the country, then these clergy should teach their faithful to stay away from drugs and crime. He noted that majority of Filipinos are Catholics.
“Nagbibilang kayo ng pera instead of going around the neighborhoods explaining to the people why they should not be in that industry because they will die. Na ngayon gusto ninyong matapos ang patayan? All you have to do is to preach kasi karamihan dito Katoliko,” he said.
“Kung mahusay ka na pari, ipaintindi mo, mamamatay ka. Umalis ka sa droga. Eh ‘di nakakatulong pa kayo. Hindi instead na maghintay kayo na may namatay na you criticize the police, you criticize me. For what? Kayo ‘yung may mga pera eh. Siraulo pala kayo,” he added.
