President Rodrigo Duterte once again lambasted the Catholic Church for criticizing his campaign against illegal drugs and for portraying him as the prime suspect behind alleged extra judicial killings in the country.
Duterte, who spoke in front of the barangay officials of Davao City said that the churches must remind the public to stop using illegal drugs and submit themselves to the authorities instead.
He said that the primary role of the churches is to educate and to guide their flocks to the right path and it includes distancing themselves away from the illegal drug activities.
“There are about 4 million addicts, and they were all slaves of the illegal drugs. Religion should guide them,” he said.
He said that the recent bombing in Sto. Niṅo church in Midsayap, North Cotabato was a result of drug addiction.
Duterte said that the Police and Military and even the rebels told him that the person behind the Christmas Eve bombing was a known drug personality.
“According to the police and the military and even the communists, the bombing was a drug related incident,” he said.
Duterte said that the priests have been criticizing him for the alleged extra judicial killings in the country while the bombing occurred that injured 12 civilians.
He said that while the church continued to point fingers on him, they did not realize that more fingers are pointed at them.
“It is about time that I show you the true color of religion. Not all they say is true,” he said.
He said that the hypocrisy of the church is likened to that of the United States. Duterte however, clarified that he is only criticizing US President Barrack Obama’s administration and not the good people of America.
The United States and Catholic Church were among the critics of Duterte for the alleged extra judicial killings in the country and the campaign against illegal drugs.
