A group composed of senior citizens in Cebu has denounced President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against the Catholic Church and God, saying it offends religious feelings and emboldens his followers to go after priests and lay people.
In a statement, Paul del Mundo, interim spokesperson of the Samahang Demokratiko at Kaakbay, called on Filipinos, irregardless of religion, to rise up and defend their faith.
“An army of all religions directly or indirectly hit by Duterte’s virulent attack should march shoulder to shoulder and fly the banner of truth. In other countries, blasphemy is punishable by death. It is a crime under the Revised Penal Code known as offending religious feelings,” he said.
“Christians, the cross is your only sword. Shun violence, Duterte’s weapon against poor and defenseless citizens,” he added.
Del Mundo said President Duterte’s attacks against the Catholic Church in particular would encourage the followers of the country’s most powerful man to kill more priests.
“The Catholic Church and other religions value life. Dictators don’t. They prefer death without trial. For Duterte’s regime, drug suspects, most poor, are called ‘lowlifes.’ No, Mr. Duterte. We are all children of God. Everytime, a death quad kills, you leave orphans and widows. Filipinos must uphold the rule of law, not the rule of gun,” he said.
A harsh critic of the Catholic Church, President Duterte earned the ire of religious groups after he ranted about and called the God of the Catholics as “stupid.”
Facing an intense backlash over his scathing remarks against the church, President Duterte formed a committee to dialogue with the Catholic Church and other religious groups.