Monsignor Quitorio gave his view on the relationship of the Catholic Church with the President.
Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III expressed his view about the relationship between the Catholic Church and Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Pres. Duterte is known to be a 71-year-old tough-talking man who speaks what we really want to say. Since he assumed the highest post in the country, many have noticed and criticized the Chief Executive’s way of expressing himself.
In the previous months, lots of headlines were sparked and opinions were elicited by Pres. Duterte’s verbal tirades towards significant personalities – United States Pres. Barack Obama being one of those.
Based on a previous news report, the 71-year-old Philippine President has even told the U.S. leader to “go to hell” after the criticism of U.S. towards Pres. Duterte’s war on drugs campaign.
Recently, a news report in Phil Star Global also entailed that the Philippine President has once cursed Pope Francis when he visited the country.
Based on the news report, the President who was the mayor of Davao City then has uttered a curse after he knew that some of the streets were closed for the holy visitor. It caused him to be stuck in the midst of the traffic for five hours.
A statement was then issued by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines President, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. The Pangasinan Archbishop reminded the then Mayor that good example to the people should be set by the leaders.
According to the news report, the Media Office director of CBCP, Monsignor Quitorio, gave his description of the relationship of the Church with Pres. Duterte. He said that it is a ‘critical collaboration’.
Furthermore, Monsignor Quitorio also stood firm that the Church will continue to voice out on certain topics wherein its side is needed. He emphasized that the concern of the Church is ‘beyond politics’.
Way back during the election campaign, the Catholics were reminded by the Church through an issued pastoral letter not to cast their votes for a candidate who is ‘morally reprehensible’.
According to the news report, there are people who suspected that the CBCP refers to Duterte who was at that time leading the presidential race.
The report also stated that Pres. Duterte has threatened to reveal the alleged sins and secrets of the clergy. Instead of responding directly to 71-year-old tough-talking President, a statement has been issued by CBCP Pres. Villegas.
In the statement, he stressed about silence. “Mine is the silence of Jesus before the arrogance of Pilate… Silence indeed is the language of God and only those who speak silence will be able to grasp Him,” he said.