Prez Duterte should consider CBCP, FVR advice

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said in a media interview in Cagayan de Oro City, reacting to the pastoral statement issued by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP): “Catholics who believe what the priests, bishops say, go ahead if you want to go to Heaven, side with them.

* * * “Now if you want to end the drug problem at the risk of going to hell. Join me.”

I hope the President didn’t mean what he was saying, otherwise he would be bringing souls to eternal damnation.

* * * Can you imagine what hell is? In his book “Inferno,” author Dante Allighierri said that there’s a sign at the gate of hell which reads: “Those who enter here, abandon all hope.”

* * * The Catholic bishops through the reading of the pastoral statement last Sunday came out, albeit too late, criticizing the government’s war on drugs for creating a “reign of terror” for the poor.

* * * They averred that killing people was not the answer to eradicate the drug problem.

They also noted what is disturbing, that is: Many people have become indifferent to the drug-related killings in the country.

* * * What the bishops meant by “reign of terror” is that by killing drug users, dealers, and traffickers, others will be scared from committing the crime.

The problem, however, is that the poor suspects are not given a day in court and, as the saying goes, “A person is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty.”

* * * By the way, it’s also the fault of our judiciary system because it moves very slowly.

Another observation is the police authorities mercilessly and relentlessly kill the suspects to silence them from reporting their involvement with drug dealers or are paid protectors by some high-ranking government officials.

* * * EX. PRES. RAMOS’ WORDS. Pres. Duterte would do well to remember the exhortation of former President Fidel V. Ramos when he noted, with disappointment, which direction the Duterte was heading to in his first 100 days, saying: “Team Philippines was losing badly as the government focuses on the war on drugs at the expense of issues such as poverty, living costs, foreign investments, and jobs.”

* * *

President Ramos added that “Duterte could have hit the ground running instead of being stuck in unending controversies about extrajudicial killings or drug suspects and in his ability at using cuss-words and insults instead of civilized language.”

* * * In short, what the Filipino people need urgently today are jobs, lower prices of basic commodities, an end to the festering traffic problem, and more foreign investments.

After all, one of the main reasons drug pushers engage in their dangerous business is poverty. Think about that.

* * * THE LIGHTER SIDE. A new chaplain of the prison accompanied a convict to the electric chair. What would he say to console a man about to die? “Goodbye? Take care? See you later?”

Visibly nervous, the priest was at a loss for the right words to say. As the convict sat on the chair, the priest patted him on the back and blurted out: “MORE POWER TO YOU!” (That would double the electric power! Poor convict and chaplain).

* * * ST. JUDE. Today join our novena to St. Jude, Saint of the Impossible, at the Divine Word Shrine, Christ the King Seminary, on E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Quezon City, after the 6 p.m. Mass.

A healing prayer and anointing of the sick will follow.