CBCP urges public to pray for Duterte’s health

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his speech during the National Heroes’ Day commemoration at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City on August 27, 2018, urged the Filipinos not only to honor the heroes but also to emulate the values that they have displayed. SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday urged the public to pray for the health of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“It’s sad news, the medical findings, and we would like to really pray for our President that he would be recovering from this found illness,” CBCP Archbishop Romulo Valles said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.

Valles called on the public to pray for the President’s current health condition since he has an important role in the country.

“We would pray for him that he would be back to his health so that he can run the affairs of the country,” the Davao archbishop said.

On Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque revealed that Duterte’s doctors have advised the President to undergo endoscopy to further examine his digestive tract.

Endoscopy is an examination of the upper digestive tract of a person, while colonoscopy is a procedure to know the current state of the large intestine or colon.

Meanwhile, CBCP-Episcopal Commission on the Clergy head Bishop Buenaventura Famadico of the San Pablo Diocese said they will pray for the 73-year-old Chief Executive.

“We pray for him,” he said when asked to comment on Duterte’s health, during the press briefing at the start of the 21-day visit of the heart of St. Padre Pio in Batangas on Saturday.

The incorrupt heart of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina is in the Philippines until October 26.

It will visit the three major islands of the country — Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The Luzon leg (Oct. 8-10) will be hosted by the Archdiocese of Manila, the Visayas leg (Oct. 11-13) by the Archdiocese of Cebu, and the Mindanao leg (Oct. 14-16) by the Archdiocese of Davao.

The Philippines will only be the fourth country to be visited by this heart relic, after the United States, Paraguay, and Argentina.
The Shrine of St. Padre Pio was declared a National Shrine by the CBCP in 2015.