President Duterte has threatened to throw Catholic priests into jail if they would not stop extorting money from the faithful.
The President issued the warning in disgust over the clergy’s alleged hypocrisy and abuses, saying they do nothing but rant, collect money, and live in their palaces.
“Jesus Christ was nailed to a wooden cross. Look at the cross in your necklaces, its gold. The chalice is also gold.
I suggest they should sell those, buy rice for the poor,” the President said in Visayan during his visit to Cebu last Thursday. “And stop collecting. If you don’t, I will have you arrested for extortion,” he added.
The President has renewed his scathing tirade against the Catholic bishops attacking his human rights records. He claimed that the priests live extravagant lives but have not helped the government in terms of drug rehabilitation facilities.
“I have a country to preserve and that is the Filipino nation. It has nothing to do with religion,” he said. “When were you really true to your vocation? There are so many of you there. You preside masses every Saturdays and Sundays. The priests are rich but I never saw a rehab center built by them. Where did the people’s money go?” Duterte asked.
He said it was the “karma” of the Catholic priests when their churches were destroyed. “You know why God destroy the churches? To show you that you are not deserving of his mercy, totoo lang,” he said. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)