Roque: Church leaders, Reds working together to remove Duterte from office

FILE: The Palace official said the criticisms of the Catholic Church against Duterte began when their candidate lost to then Davao City mayor in the 2016 presidential elections. (PCOO photo)

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Monday, July 2, claimed that Catholic Church leaders are working with members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).

In a press briefing in Maasin City, Southern Leyte, Roque said, “Baka marami nga sa kanila ay hindi nila tatanggapin si Presidente, kaya nga hindi malayo na magkaisa iyong ilan sa kanila diyan sa CPP-NPA na patalsikin si Presidente Duterte (There may be a lot of them who won’t accept the President, that is why it is not far-fetched for them to unite with the CPP-NPA to oust President Duterte).”

The Palace official said the criticisms of the Catholic Church against Duterte began when their candidate, whom Roque did not identify, lost to then Davao City mayor in the 2016 presidential elections.

“Tapatan na, Kristiyano naman tayo, bakit pa tayo magpapaligoy-ligoy. Marami po talaga sa Simabahan hindi matanggap na ‘yung kandidato nila talunan (Let’s be straight to the point, we are all Christians, why should we beat around the bush? There are a lot of people in the Church who could not accept that their candidate lost),” he said.

Roque then said the members of clergy and communist rebels are dreaming if they think the Chief Executive will be ousted from his post.

“Iyan po ay panaginip. Dahil ang Presidente po, unang-una, nanalo po iyan ng walang daya (That is dreaming. Because the President, first of all, won without cheating),” he said.

On Friday, June 29, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) earlier refuted allegations that the Catholic Church is behind any destabilization plot against the President.

“That is not true, definitely that’s not true, definitely there’s no such thing,” CBCP Public Affairs Committee chairman, Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista said in a report by GMA’s News To Go.

“It is just a fabrication. Wherever it came from, it cannot come from the Church,” he added.

Evangelista assured that such remarks will not come from the Church.

“It is not for us to make the situation chaotic as it is already. We are all for peace, peace-loving people as nation,” he stressed.