Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte blasts Catholic Church, labels it country's 'most hypocritical institution'

ABC News (Australia)
May 22, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-23/philippines-duterte-blasts-catholic-church/7436144

Rodrigo Duterte has again taken aim at the Catholic Church.

The Philippines' president-elect Rodrigo Duterte has described the Catholic Church as the country's "most hypocritical institution" and says he is ready to take on senior Filipino bishops in a debate about their wrongdoings before he takes office next month.The tough-talking 71-year-old has yet to be proclaimed the May 9 poll winner, but an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed a huge lead over his rivals, three of whom conceded defeat. He is due to take office on June 30.Mr Duterte's often outrageous comments and no-nonsense approach have won him huge support and his tirades about killing criminals and even a joke about a murdered rape victim, appear not to have dented his popularity."I will lecture until June 29 the sins of the Catholic Church and whether or not you are still relevant," Mr Duterte told reporters in Davao City, where he is the incumbent mayor.

"The most hypocritical institution is the Catholic Church."

Mr Duterte said the bishops who had condemned him during his campaign had been asking for help from the Government.

"You ask so many favours, even from me," he said.

It is not the first time Mr Duterte has taken aim at the church — he once chided Pope Francis for holding up traffic when the pontiff visited capital city Manila.

About 80 per cent of the Philippines population are Catholic. It has the largest Catholic concentration of any Asian country.

A video recording of Mr Duterte's comments was carried on several news outlets and posted on the website of ABS-CBN, the country's biggest broadcaster.

His platform of crushing crime, corruption and drug abuse has won him big support, but his intention to re-impose a death penalty that was repealed in 2006 is expected to be opposed by the church.

A week ago Mr Duterte said killers should get death sentences and those who committed murder and rape together should be hanged.

In Sunday's comments, he alleged church leaders had enriched themselves at the expense of the poor and shown disregard for the separation of church and state.

Bishops had campaigned against him, but public opinion was on his side, he said.

"'Fine,' I said. Let this election be a referendum between me and the Catholic Church," Mr Duterte said.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church in the Philippines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.