In Manila, Philippines, not only is President Rodrigo R. Duterte engaged in a drug war, he is also fighting a war of words with the Catholic bishops. An article published by the Catholic News Agency [CNA] [1] dated February 8, 2017, entitled Philippines bishops: Trust in God, not Duterte's deadly drug war is quoted in part below:
“Let us not allow fear to reign and keep us silent. Let us put into practice not only our native inner strength but the strength that comes from our Christian faith,” the bishops said.
They warned of a “reign of terror” and the lack of justice against those who commit killings. They rebuked indifference to the killings and those claim the killings are “something that needs to be done.”
Those who murder drug dealers are also committing grave sins, the bishops said.
“We cannot correct a wrong by doing another wrong,” they explained. “A good purpose is not a justification for using evil means. It is good to remove the drug problem, but to kill in order to achieve this is also wrong.”
Duterte’s response to the pastoral letter was adamant.
“You Catholics, if you believe in your priests and bishops, you stay with them,” the president said Sunday. “If you want to go to heaven, then go to them. Now, if you want to end drugs ... I will go to hell, come join me.”
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, a former pastor of an evangelical Protestant church, said that the bishops’ conference appears “out of touch with the sentiments of the faithful who overwhelmingly support the changes in the Philippines,” Fox News reports.
For their part, the bishops stressed the importance of presuming an accused person is innocent. They said legal processes must be followed and society has processes to apprehend, convict and punish those who are guilty of crimes.
According to the bishops, there are several root causes of drug problems and criminality: poverty, family breakdown, and corruption. They said people should address these problems through anti-poverty efforts to provide employment and living wages; family strengthening efforts; and reform in the country’s police forces, judicial systems and politics.
Every person has the chance to change because of God’s mercy, the bishops said. The Catholic Church’s recently concluded Year of Mercy deepened awareness that Jesus Christ “offered his own life for sinners, to redeem them and give them a new future.”
“To destroy one’s own life and the life of another, is a grave sin and does evil to society. The use of drugs is a sign that a person no longer values his own life, and endangers the lives of others. We must all work together to solve the drug problem and work for the rehabilitation of drug addicts,” the bishops said.
“We in the Church will continue to speak against evil even as we acknowledge and repent of our own shortcomings. We will do this even if it will bring persecution upon us because we are all brothers and sisters responsible for each other. We will help drug addicts so that they may be healed and start a new life.”
The bishops said they will stand with the families of those who have been killed.
It is interesting to see the way how another article, updated January 19, 2017, published by philstar GLOBAL had presented to readers a view of the bishops from the opposite side, entitled Defending the drug war, Duterte chastises bishops. The article is quoted below in its entirety [2]:
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday dug up old controversies including the so-called Pajero scandal and clergy sexual abuse in his latest tirade against the Catholic Church, which has been raising concerns over the spate of killings linked to his war on drugs.
Duterte said the religious group of more than 80 percent of Filipinos, has no moral ascendancy to criticize his narcotics crackdown because it also has its own share of sins.
"You expose me, fine. I expose you. Why? When you commit mistakes, it's okay but when we do, no? B***s***. That's stupid," the president said during the oath taking of newly promoted police officials at Malacañan.
"What is your moral ascendancy in the Philippines? Religion? What is the meaning of it? Hindi kayo nakakatulong, daldal kayo nang daldal (You do not help us. You just keep on talking)," he added.
Duterte cited the issue involving bishops who allegedly asked former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to provide them luxury vehicles.
"Remember you asked vehicles from Gloria? Knowing fully well that the policemen have no vehicles. You had Pajero, you sons of b******," the president said.
"You were given vehicles knowing that there is a principle of separation between Church and State. It was sheer, purely graft and corruption because you did not deserve it. You cannot use property or money for your comfort. That is not for you but for the government but you had the gall," he added.
In 2011, then Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairperson Margarita Juico revealed that some Catholic bishops got Pajero sports utility vehicles supposedly in exchange for their support for Arroyo.
Juico eventually apologized to the Senate after it was learned that the bishops did not get Pajeros but utility vehicles, which were then used to conduct humanitarian missions. The bishops returned the vehicles to the PCSO, with one of them admitting to have committed a lapse of judgment when he asked Arroyo for a vehicle as a birthday gift in 2009.
Duterte also questioned the supposed failure of the church to explain how donations given during masses were used.
"What did the church do? The Catholic Church earns millions every week all throughout the Philippines. There are many churches. Where is the money of the people?" the president said.
"We explain how we use our funds to the people. You? Priests and bishops, you wear fancy clothes, you have vehicles. Do you have a house, even with just five rooms, for rehab? What did your church do?" he added.
"You count money instead of going around the neighborhoods, explaining to the people why they should not be in that industry because they will die. Now you want the killings to end? All you have to do is to preach because most of the people here are Catholics."
Earlier, the Catholic Church announced that it would work with local governments to establish rehabilitation centers. One of the church-initiated programs aimed at addressing the drug problem is the Sanlakbay Para sa Pagbabagong Buhay, which was launched last October.
Duterte also cited the clergy sex abuse hounding the Catholic Church as well and the illicit affairs of some priests. The president revealed last year that he was sexually molested by a priest when he was young.
"You asked for it. If you want a showdown, then let's have a showdown. You mend your ways. If you cannot even give justice to the small boys that you have molested in the past, you do not have that moral ascendancy to lecture (me) on what to do. Sanctity of life? You're enjoying your worth," the president said.
"When we were young, I talked to cabinet members. When we were making confessions to you, we were being molested," he added.
Duterte also scored alleged homosexual acts happening inside seminaries and the alleged failure of the Church to improve the plight of its faithful.
"What will you do with the homosexuality in your seminaries? What have you done to the children there? Did you investigate us? Mga le**e kayo (You fools)," he said.
"You are in palaces while your faithful are in squatters areas and then you talk about sanctity? Look at your mirror."
Duterte encouraged the public to read "Altar of Secrets," a book by the late journalist Aries Rufo published in 2013 that discussed the corruption, sexual abuses and other controversies that rocked the Philippine Catholic Church.
Last Wednesday, Duterte said priests should try shabu ["Crystal Meth in the Philippines" [3]] so they can understand the seriousness of the drug problem.
When this blogger read the last sentence in the CNA article quote above, "[w]e will help drug addicts so that they may be healed and start a new life," he thought that may be it would be better if the bishops would help those who are most at risk of drug addiction to avoid drugs in the first place rather than after the fact because it is difficult, perhaps even impossible, to fully detoxify those who are already drug-addicted.
After reading the second article and those more recent (not cited here), it seems like President Duterte has not shied away from criticizing his country's Catholic bishops even though "it was estimated [in 2015] that 84 million Filipinos, or roughly 82.9% of the population [in Philippines], profess Catholicism." [4]
[1] http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/philippines-bishops-trust-in-god-not-dutertes-deadly-drug-war-72784/
[2] http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/01/19/1664164/defending-drug-war-duterte-chastises-bishops
[3] http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/crystal-meth-in-the-philippines-shabu/
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_the_Philippines
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