Rody to public: Ignore my tirades vs bishops

A day after hurling insults at bishops, a calmer President Duterte asked the public yesterday to ignore his outbursts as he expressed hope that the Catholic Church would “come to terms with the truth.” “I’m not really… Huwag

kayo mag ano diyan sa outburst ko. Ganun talaga ang pagkatao ko (Do not take my outbursts seriously. That’s the way I am),” the President said during his visit to housing units for survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban, Leyte.

The President’s chief legal counsel, however, said Duterte’s tirades against the Roman Catholic Church were not baseless and were well within his right to freedom of expression.

Duterte, who has accused the Catholic clergy of hypocrisy and immorality, said there are things that the Church has to realize, including the plight of the poor.

“I sincerely hope (the Catholic clergy will) come to terms with the truth,” the President said.

Duterte narrated how some priests had refused to give final blessings to the dead who belong to poor families.

Duterte’s tone was a complete departure from his fiery rhetoric last Tuesday, when he described the Catholic Church, which has been critical of his war on drugs, as “full of s**t.”

During his meeting with families of the 44 policemen who died during the 2015 Mamasapano clash, Duterte enumerated old issues involving Catholic clergymen, such as corruption, sexual abuse, homosexuality, illicit affairs and insensitivity to the plight of the poor.

Duterte dared members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to resign if he is proven right about the scandals that rocked the Church. He also expressed readiness to step down if he is proven wrong on the allegations.

Duterte also launched personal attacks against bishops, including former Novaliches bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr., whom he accused of having two wives.

The President also claimed that priests do not brush their teeth when hearing confession and have dirty hands when giving communion.

He claimed that bishops have been lording it over the country for so long, even if they are teaching about Christ who lived a simple life.