Palace says Duterte’s tirade only meant to Church leaders ‘living in luxury’

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech after leading the ceremonial turnover of housing units to wounded police officers and soldiers at the Pleasant View Residences in the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on January 10, 2019. REY BANIQUET/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Friday, January 11, defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest tirade against members of the clergy, stressing that the Chief Executive’s verbal attack was only meant to Church leaders who have a ‘luxurious’ lifestyle.

“Listening to his speech with an open mind and watching his body language, one can easily discern that PRRD was only airing his sentiments against some Church leaders who are living in luxury, contrary to their teachings,” Panelo said.

The spokesman issued this statement after Duterte said tambays or bystanders should rob ‘rich’ bishops and kill them after.

Panelo, however, explained that the President was only using “figures of speech” when he uttered such remarks.

“As we have repeatedly emphasized, [it] is his style in articulating and dramatizing a point,” he stressed.

“In the case instant, he wishes to stress the failure of some bishops to empathize with the masses as they live comfortably in their rectories while the latter endures the vestiges of poverty,” he added.

Panelo also said that if Church leaders can throw criticisms against Duterte, then the latter can also do the same to “return the favor.

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Despite all his verbal attacks against the Catholic Church, the spokesman said Duterte still “respects the Christian faith” as shown on his actions and policies.

The Palace official then mentioned Duterte’s signing of Republic Act (RA) No.

11163 or the National Bible Act and the President’s message for the commemoration of the Black Nazarene’s Traslacion.

“Given his view on the importance of religion and even including himself as a believer in the Divine and the Black Nazarene, it becomes the duty of the President to subject some of its leaders on their hypocritical practices, especially so when some of them commenced the adverse narratives against him using the pulpit and even wishing the President’s demise,’ Panelo said.

In his another tirade against the Catholic Church on Thursday, Duterte said he is willing to be crucified if the clergy has proven at least one thing in the book Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics, and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church to be wrong.

The book, written by late journalist Aries Rufo, talks about the misdeeds of some members of the clergy.

[READ: Duterte is willing to be nailed on cross if clergy can disprove ‘Altar of Secrets’ claims]