PHILIPPINES
Sun.Star
By RUTH ABBEY GITA
IN A series of tirades against the Catholic Church, President Rodrigo Duterte called out the priests anew to preach about the effects of the drug problem, instead of lambasting his administration’s war on drugs.
“You keep on yakking. I heard there was one church allegedly exhibiting extrajudicial [killings],” Duterte said Thursday at the oath-taking of the Philippine National Police at the Palace’s Rizal Hall. …
Despite the Church’s call, the President remained unfazed and merely taunted the priests, attacking their luxurious lifestyle.
“What did the Church do? The Catholic Church has collected millions [of pesos] every week, all throughout many churches. Where is the people’s money? We [in the government] can explain where the money went. How about you?
The priests, bishops have decent clothing, cars, and house,” Duterte said. “Even your chalice is gold while your followers have nothing to eat. If you want, I can melt the Malacañang’s chandelier to give you an additional gold,” he added.
Duterte also accused the church of asking former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to give them cars even though there was a principle of separation between the church and the state.
“Let’s be frank here. We don’t have to hide anything. You expose me, fine. I will expose you. Why is it okay [if you commit] mistake while it’s not okay for us? Bull**t. That’s absurd. Just help [if you want to address] extrajudicial killing,” Duterte said.
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