CBCP Will No Longer Engage in Word War vs. Pres. Duterte

The known critics of the outgoing mayor Rody Duterte of Davao City, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will no longer engage in “word war” against President Rody Duterte. CBCP President and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan Socrates Villegas on Sunday broke his silence and opted to give a message of hope to the Filipino people.

Archbishop Soc Villegas was quoted as saying “Mine is the silence of Jesus before the arrogance of Pilate,” Villegas said Sunday. “Mine is the language of peace that refuses the dark magic of revenge. Mine is the silence of respect for those who consider us their enemies but whose good we truly pray for and whose happiness we want to see unfold,” the archbishop stated.

The veteran priest and archbishop added further that “There is virtue in silence. There is virtue in speech. Wisdom is knowing when it is time for silence and when is the timing for speech,” he added.

During the past few days, the incoming President of the Republic of the Philippines has dubbed the Catholic Church the “most hypocritical institution,” and lambasted some bishops for supposedly attempting to erode public support for him before the May 9 elections.

Mayor Duterte accused some bishops of dissuading the electorate by citing the release of a pastoral letter a few days before the May 9 elections. The mayor of Davao city noted that the CBCP campaigned against him and encourage the electorate not to vote for him but all of their efforts failed after Mayor Rody Duterte was declared as the winner of the presidential race.

Aside from Soc Villegas, Mayor Rody Duterte also singled out the retired bishop of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Bishop Soc Villegas whom the newly-elected President accused of making a fool out of the Filipino people.