The controversial president of the Philippines has challenged the country's entire Catholic Bishops' Conference to resign over alleged corruption as his row with the Church escalates. President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would also quit if the bishops left their posts.
"I challenge all the bishops conference. Let's resign tomorrow, all together, okay? Resign. I will do it first. I will deliver my letter of resignation, you wait," Duterte said yesterday during a meeting with the families of 44 policeman killed in a massacre two years ago.He added: "We all have the same disgrace," The Tablet reported.
The outburst comes after the erratic president last week wrote an ingratiating letter to Pope Francis following divisions with the Catholic Church in his country over issues ranging from condoms and the death penalty.
In a speech riddled with characteristic profanities, Duterte encouraged his audience to read the book Altar of Secrets by the late journalist Aries Rufo, which accuses the Church of corruption and sexual abuses.
"I challenge you now. I challenge the Catholic Church... You all smell bad, corruption and all," Duterte said.
The latest disagreement with the Church came earlier this month when Bishop Teodoro Bacani, the Bishop-Emeritus of Novaliches, raised concerns over the spate of killings linked to the government's crackdown on illegal drugs. Bishop Bacani described Duterte's war on drugs as a "bringer of death" during a conference in Manila on January 18, according to local reports.
Retaliating the following day, Duterte accused the Church of corruption and its priests of molesting children and condoning and participating in alleged homosexual acts, in a speech given at the Malacanang presidential palace.
"You expose me, fine. I expose you. Why? When you commit mistakes, it's okay but when we do, no? That's stupid," Duterte said.
He added: "What is your moral ascendancy in the Philippines? Religion? What is the meaning of it? You do not help us. You just keep on talking."
In response, Archbishop Ramon Arguelles defended his fellow priests and bishops. "Even a sick doctor must still try to cure ailments of others and, of course, his [Duterte's] too," the Archbishop said.
"Churchmen are not perfect. Nevertheless, they are supposed to proclaim what is right and proper even if they themselves fall short of what they teach," Arguelles added in an interview quoted by the news service of the Philippine Catholic Bishops' Conference on January 20. "The fault of some should not be blamed on all."
Duterte's attack came just a day after one of his senior aides met the Pope at the Vatican. Jesus Dureza said that Pope Francis had told him that he would bless the Philippines and "also bless your president".
Dureza was at the Vatican to present the letter from Duterte, which thanked the Pope for his visit to the Philippines in 2015.
It read: "Your Holiness, with profound respect, I have the honour to extend my own and my people's warmest greetings to Your Holiness."
Duterte's letter went on: "Our countrymen remember Your Holiness' apostolic visit in 2015 with deep appreciation, knowing that it was made with the most sincere regard for the welfare of the Church's flock," he said.
"The Philippines values its special relations with the Holy See and regards with gratitude Your Holiness' gracious stewardship of the Catholic faith... Please accept, Your Holiness, the assurances of my highest esteem and respect."
The president had drawn criticism during the papal visit after calling the Pope a "son of a bitch" for supposedly causing a traffic jam during his visit. He later claimed his comment was aimed at incompetent officials.
Earlier this month, Duterte angered Catholics by ordering millions of condoms to be handed out in a bid to curb unwanted pregnancies.
The Church does not allow the use of condoms as a means of birth control and says abstinence and monogamy in heterosexual marriage is the best way to stop the spread of HIV/Aids.
Separately, Catholic leaders and charities in the Philippines last month condemned as "very barbaric" Duterte's plan to restore the death penalty and execute "five or six" criminals each day despite what is widely acknowledged to be a corrupt legal system.
Duterte, 71, has made reviving the death penalty in the mainly Catholic nation his top legislative priority as part of a brutal war on crime that has killed 5,300 people.
"There was death penalty before but nothing happened. Return that to me and I would do it every day: five or six [criminals]. That's for real," he said.
