He may be critical of some Catholic bishops, even wished that they will be hit by meteorites, but President Duterte insisted that he is no “heretic.”
Speaking at the 120th year presence of the Baptist Churches in the Philippines Thursday, the President said he has “deep and abiding” faith in God that guides his life and governance.
“I have this deep and abiding faith in God. You see me in Jolo, you see me in going to war in Marawi. Well, it’s not about bravery. It’s about faith in God,” he said in his remarks.
The President, however, jokingly wished for the death of bishops critical of his leadership, saying there was something wrong with them.
“I hope that some little meteorites will hit all the bishops in the head. Something is wrong with them. Because they started to fight and they told me that I am a heretic,” he said.
“You know when I criticize you, I do not become heretic. That is… We are not in the medieval times god**** it,” he said.
Duterte also told the bishops to “shut up” as he listed down their alleged offenses such as corruption and womanizing.
“When I criticize, it’s because you are doing it. You are impregnating so many women, you are even killing women. And I said, you shut up because you are a womanizer – like me but I’m retired,” he said.
The President previously launched stinging rebuke of the Catholic Church after some bishops criticized his brutal war on illegal drugs.
Duterte claimed the Church was the most hypocritical institution in the country, accusing some priests of corruption and other abuses. He has called the god of his critics as stupid and questioned some Church doctrines, including the story of creation and the Holy Trinity.
The President had also said he managed to win the presidency and the war against the Catholic Church after cursing at the Pope and other bishops in public.
Duterte, in the run-up to the 2016 presidential polls, publicly cursed at Pope Francis for the traffic jams caused by his visit in Manila. He was widely criticized for allegedly disrespecting the Pontiff but still scored a landslide victory in the elections. (Genalyn Kabiling)