"Mine is the silence of Jesus before the arrogance of Pilate."
This was the explanation given by the head of the Catholic bishops' organisation in the Philippines on why he and the Church resorted to keeping quiet for days after a series of profanity-laden verbal attacks against him and the entire Catholic Church by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.
A day before Archbishop and Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Socrates Villegas finally spoke up on Sunday with a message titled "Understanding Silence," the 71-year-old Duterte made yet another unnerving remarks when he announced in a press conference that he is encouraging Filipino gun owners to kill known drug dealers in their neighbourhoods if they want to help him in his war against drugs and crime, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.
The execution of drug and other crime suspects by unknown gunmen actually began even before Duterte spoke on Saturday and before he assumes office on June 30. From Thursday to Saturday, five men, including a lawyer, fell victim to what appear to be cases of summary execution in three provinces, according to the Inquirer.
In an article posted on the CBCP website, Villegas highlighted the value of silence amid the tirades launched by Duterte.
"There is virtue in silence. There is virtue in speech. Wisdom is knowing when it is time for silence and when is the timing for speech," Villegas was quoted in the CBCP News report.
"Mine is the language of peace that refuses the dark magic of revenge. Mine is the silence of respect for those who consider us their enemies but whose good we truly pray for and whose happiness we want to see unfold," he added.
"You can understand my speech if you speak the language of silence. You can understand my silence if you know how to love like Him who was born one silent night," Villegas said.
Villegas is just one of the bishops and priests who have been subjected to obscene curses by Duterte who called the Catholic Church the "most hypocritical institution" in the Philippines.
Duterte has threatened to bring down the Church by exposing its sins in the past, including churchmen who allegedly engaged in corrupt practices and had secret affairs with women.
In a revelation that analysts say could explain his dislike of the Church, Duterte has claimed that he was abused by a Catholic priest when he was still a freshman in a university in Mindanao.
Late Saturday in a nationally televised speech, Duterte told a huge crowd in Davao City celebrating his victory in last month's presidential election that Filipinos who help him battle crime will be rewarded.
"Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun—you have my support," Duterte said.
If a drug dealer resists arrest or refuses to be brought to a police station and threatens a citizen with a gun or a knife, "you can kill him," Duterte said. "Shoot him and I'll give you a medal."
Human rights watchdogs have expressed alarm that his anti-crime campaign may lead to widespread rights violations, the Associated Press reports.
Meanwhile, Duterte also followed up his attacks on the media with the announcement on Monday that he will "boycott" the media and stop giving press conferences.
"No. I'm sorry. I'm really going to boycott [the media]," Duterte told a TV reporter.
When asked until when the boycott would stand, Duterte said: "Until the end of my term," according to Rappler.
