‘I WON’T APOLOGIZE OVER ANTI-GOD REMARKS’

Presidential panel, religious leaders start meeting to ease tension between president, Church

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday refused to heed calls to issue a public apology over his fiery remarks against the Catholic Church and its supposedly “stupid” God.

“No, I will not do that definitely. Not in the million years,” the President told reporters in Panglao, Bohol, when asked if he would apologize for taking a jab at the Catholic Church’s beliefs.

You know, God is personal. It is not formed by textbooks. You nurture God as your faith based on the values that you get from life, early on from your parents. That is how you conceive God to be. PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE

On June 22, Duterte questioned the “stupid” God of the Catholic Church for destroying His “perfect” creation of life when He allowed Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, as narrated in Genesis.

Duterte’s remarks earned criticisms from various religious groups, prompting him to form a panel that will hold a dialogue with church leaders to ease tensions.

The presidential panel and several religious leaders already met for the first time last Wednesday.

On the sidelines of the meeting between the panel and religious leaders, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said God, whom he referred to as a God of love, does not Duterte’s apology but “healing for everyone.”

Duterte stressed that for now, he will be tight-lipped as regards his spat with the Catholic Church.

“You know, God is personal. It is not formed by textbooks. You nurture God as your faith based on the values that you get from life, early on from your parents. That is how you conceive God to be,” he said.

“[For now, I would keep my silence] on all, particularly in my rift against the Catholic Church. I have no quarrel with the others but if they want to join the fray, it’s fine,” he said.