Don’t harm priests; they’re not part of political ruckus: PRRD

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) campaign rally at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan City, Laguna on February 23, 2019. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — Despite his personal tiff with the Catholic Church, President Rodrigo R. Duterte warned those who threaten to harm priests and bishops to stop, noting that they are not part of the “political ruckus.”

Duterte’s warning came after Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, in a text message to former presidential aide, Christopher “Bong” Go, reported that some priests have been receiving death threats.

“Ang sagot ko ganito: ‘Yang away ko sa Katoliko, amin lang ‘yan — personal. Kayong mga adik, ‘wag ninyong totohanin (This is my answer: My feud with the Catholic Church, it’s just personal. You addicts, don’t take it seriously),” the President said during the 1st National Assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas in Pasay City Monday.

“Hindi ‘yan sila kasali sa ruckus — political ruckus. Ako, I was just responding — sinagot ko lang ‘yung sabi ng pari (na) mamatay ako. Pero huwag ninyong patayin talaga ‘yung mga obispo, pati pari (They’re not part of the political ruckus. I was just responding to the priest who wished me dead. But don’t kill bishops and priests). It is not allowed,” he added.

Those who harm bishops and priests would have to answer to him, Duterte said, noting that he would not get anything from having clerics killed.

“‘Pag ginawa mo ‘yan sa kanila, ako mismo ang kalaban mo at ako ang hihirit sa iyo kasi ginagawa ninyo ‘yan para siraan ako. Ano man ang makuha ko ‘pag patayin ko ‘yang pari?

 (If you harm them, you’ll have to face me. I’m going to make you pay because you’re doing it to destroy my reputation. What do I get from having priests killed?),” he said.

Duterte admitted that he is angered by how priests do not have to pay taxes, but said he is not “mad” at the Catholic Church.

“Alam mo hindi ako galit sa simbahan. Pero itong mga obispo ng mga elitista dito sa Maynila, ‘yung hindi nagbabayad ng buwis, nakaupo diyan sa lupa ng gobyerno na walang bayad for so many years (You know, I’m not mad at the Church. But these bishops of elitists in Manila, the ones who don’t pay taxes, but sit on government land without paying for so many years),” he said.

Under the Constitution, religious organizations are exempted from the payment of taxes.

This is not the first time Duterte has warned against killing bishops and priests. He first brought up Tagle’s text message during the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Cebu City on Sunday night.

He said that according to Tagle, priests have been receiving death threats from persons, who claimed to be working for the first family. However, he denied this and warned impostors to “lay off.”

“Religious (leaders) has nothing to do with the vagaries of life. Lay off! Stop threatening them or ako ang makalaban ninyo (you’ll have to face me),” Duterte said.