Malacañang keeps ‘high expectations’ on Duterte-Valles meeting

Malacañang on Monday said that it has “high expectations” on the upcoming meeting between President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Romulo Valles. (PNA photo)

MANILA — Malacañang on Monday said that it has “high expectations” on the upcoming meeting between President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Romulo Valles.

“Well, very high po ang ating expectations (our expectations are very high), because there is a very good relation [sic] between the President of the CBCP and the President of the Republic, both of whom are natives of Davao,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing in Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Roque, a member of Duterte’s four-man team tasked to dialogue with religious leaders, confirmed that the President and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles will meet Saturday.

Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go earlier said that Duterte might meet Valles next week.

The four-man panel was formed in a bid to build a “working relationship” between the government and the Catholic Church.

Church, Reds team up vs. Duterte?

Roque, meanwhile, raised the thought that Church leaders may have been teaming up with communist rebels to oust Duterte.

He said that some Church leaders might not be “accepting” of Duterte since their preferred presidential candidate lost during elections.

Roque, however, did not name any particular candidate.

“Alam n’yo naman talaga iyong patutsada ng simbahan eh nagsimula naman iyon noong natalo iyong kandidato nila noong eleksyon (You know, the Church’s attacks started when their preferred candidate lost the elections),” 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 (Perhaps a lot of them cannot accept the President, that’s why it’s not impossible that they team up with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army to impeach President Duterte),” he added.