I respect the Church – PRRD

Despite his rocky relationship with the Catholic Church, President Duterte said he respects the institution and that government has no policy against priests.

Duterte made the statement following the murder of three Catholic priests over the past six months.

In a forum in Iloilo City Wednesday night, Duterte addressed the claim of some members of the clergy that his statements against the Church embolden the acts against priests.

"Wala kaming policy na galit kami sa pari o… (We have no

policy of anger against priests) Nothing of that sort. As a matter of fact, nirerespeto ko ‘yung simbahan (I respect the Church)," Duterte said.

The President also appealed to members of the clergy to stop linking government to the priest killings.

"Ang akin lang mahinto lang itong… There were a few bishops na medyo ‘yang sabi nila parang nili-link nila ang gobyerno. Hindi ko… Sa totoo lang, hindi ko kayang magpatay ng pari (I just want the blaming to stop. There were a few bishops who link the killings to the government. In fact, I cannot kill priests)," he added.

Over the past six months, three priests have been killed – Father Tito Paez in Jaen, Nueva Ecija last December, Father Mark Anthony Ventura in Gattaran, Cagayan in April, and Father Richmond Nilo in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija early this month.

According to Duterte, some priests may have been killed because of their advocacy.

"There seems to be a – especially a – one who has the advocacy and talagang (really) in a very loud manner," he said.

While addressing the crowd, the church bells pealed signaling the time for the Angelus and enjoined Catholics to pray. “I respect the tolling of the bells. I am a Christian and I believe in God," he told the crowd.

Case matrix

The President said he has a matrix of the cases involving the slain men of the cloth and will release the findings if the Catholic Church asks for it. He said he kept the information out of respect for the institution.

"There’s a matrix there and you can choose your conclusion whatever it is. There seems to be something like an undercurrent going on. I do not want it --- for after all Catholic Church is not a political party. I have nothing to do with you so inisuppress ko lang muna (so I suppressed it at first)," he said.

"But if I release it to you and you demand for it publicly, I will release all including the previous killing of priests. Iyong iba naman totoo talagang pinatay (It is true that some were really killed) for their advocacy," he added.

Earlier, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas and other members of the clergy issued a statement claiming Duterte's "verbal persecution" unwittingly encourages attacks on priests.

The President said he never encouraged the public to attack priests and his tirades against the Catholic Church are not enough to cause the murder of three members of the clergy.