Duterte to Catholic Church: Let priests marry, allow public to use birth control pills
President Rodrigo Duterte criticizes the Catholic church during his February 24 speech before beneficiaries of the Unconditional Cash Transfer program at the Cebu Technological University. |CDNDigital Photo by Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte suggested to the Catholic Church to allow the priests to marry to stop the sexual abuse committed by the church leaders.
In a speech delivered in Cebu on Sunday, February 24, President Duterte said that by allowing priests to marry, the tendency of these men to commit sexual abuse would be eliminated.
“Dapat ang pari payagan nga magminyo. Mao na ang solusyon ana,” said Duterte during the event where he distributed cash grants to Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) program beneficiaries from Cebu City.
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Duterte once again threw tirades against the Catholic Church and the bishops for being too critical of his administration, yet, he said they were incapable of solving the abuses committed by priests.
“Ang thousands of abuses committed nila nga wala nila na-correct. Four out of five priests commit abuse,” he said.
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President Duterte also criticized the Church for its opposition to birth control pills, which, he said, had been one of the causes of the overpopulation of the country.
He said that the country’s population had increased at an alarming rate, reaching up to 107 million Filipinos and pills could help control it.
“Mahadlok sa simbahan. Dili sila mosugot anang pills,” said the President.
Duterte said that religion should give way to practicality and the common good.
He also encouraged the Church to allow the the government to solve problems through practical means such as encouraging women to use birth control pills to address overpopulation./dbs
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