President Duterte has branded some priests as “inutile” amid the sex scandals rocking the Catholic Church, saying the public should not believe these clergymen too much.
At the signing of the universal health care law in Malacañang, the President felt vindicated after no less than Pope Francis publicly confirmed the sexual abuse involving priests, including the exploitation of nuns.
Duterte argued that nobody wanted to believe him when he repeatedly denounced the abuse and corruption in the church.
“Murahin ko mga p***** i*** na obispo itong mga ito, ‘yung mga pari, mga inutil naman lahat. Tingnan mo ngayon. Was I wrong all along? Di ba sinabi ko sa inyo right after we were abused,” he said.
“And the Pope now is calling for a summit to address this particular problem because four out of five sabi ng Rome ang pari bakla,” he added.
Duterte urged the public not to be duped by erring members of the clergy, citing the recent arrest of a foreign priest for molesting young victims.
“Huwag kayong magsyadong bumilib dyan sa mga pari na ‘yan…When they begin to postulate, it is as if all utterings are ex-cathedra. Huwag kayo masyado bilib dyan,” he said.
He then jokingly told the audience to just join his own church called “Iglesia ni Duterte.” “Kung gusto maglipat na lang kayo ng ibang relihiyon, meron ma’am bagong register lang – Iglesia ni Duterte,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
