Church protests at drug killings
MANILA: Thousands of Catholic faithful gathered in The Philippines capital yesterday for a “show of force” in the biggest rally yet to stop extrajudicial killings in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.
More than 6000 people have died since Mr Duterte took office seven months ago in a crime war that has drawn global criticism for alleged human rights abuses, but is popular with many in the mainly Catholic country.
“We have to stand up. Somehow this is already a show of force by the faithful that they don’t like these extrajudicial killings,” Manila bishop Broderick Pabillo said.
“I am alarmed and angry at what’s happening. It does not show our humanity.”
Mr Duterte, 71, has attacked the Church as being “full of s***” and “the most hypocritical institution” for speaking out against a campaign that he says would save generations of Filipinos from drugs.
About eight in 10 Filipinos are Catholic.