A DAY after he agreed to a moratorium on statements about the Catholic Church, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, July 10, again lashed at critics for allegedly using God to criticize him.
In an event held in Pampanga, Duterte reiterated that he would retaliate against the Church leaders who criticize him "in God's name."
"There is a separation of power between any church and state. Huwag mong isali ang Diyos mo doon sa platform of your criticism, [of] your attack because when I answer, kapag sinali mo sa issue, sinali mo ang Diyos, p***** i**, patayin kita," Duterte said.
(There is a separation of power between any church and state. Do not use God on your platform of your criticism, [of] your attack because when I answer, when you drag God in this issue, son of a b****, I will kill you.)
"I have tried to answer. There is a separation of powers, why are you f***ing the name of the Lord against me? So 'pag sagot ko, since ang forefront mo Diyos, bakit maghinakit kayo [kapag] sabihin ko, p**...," he added.
(I have tried to answer. There is a separation of powers, why are you f***ing the name of the Lord against me? So when I answer, since your forefront is the Lord, why would you get offended if I say son of a...)
The President also repeated his "stupid God" remark, saying the God that Catholics believe in must be stupid for creating hell.
"When you use God to say that I'd go to hell, you know my God never created hell because if he created hell, he must be stupid God. My God is not stupid to create man just to burn him in hell. Hindi ako naniniwala ng ganon (I don't believe that)," he said.
"I do not believe in heaven because if I do, only a fraction of you in this crowd will ever enter in heaven. All of us makita ko, lalo na 'yung mga may dalawang asawa dito, tig-tatlo dito, 'yung mga playboy, lahat tayo sa impyerno magkita. But that is fiction."
(I do not believe in heaven because if I do, only a fraction of you in this crowd will ever enter in heaven. All of us who have two or three partners, who are playboy, will go to hell. We will meet each other in hell. But that is fiction.)
Duterte's latest strongly-worded remarks came just a day after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced that the President pledged to take a break from criticizing the Church.
On Monday, July 9, Duterte met with Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Romulo Valles and agreed on a moratorium on verbal attacks against the Church. (VoxPop Philippines)
