Duterte asks Valles not to use pulpit in criticizing admin

July 10, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte has asked Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles not to use the pulpit in criticizing the government, a Palace official said on Tuesday.

Duterte and Valles had a 30-minute one-on-one meeting in Malacanang on Monday after the president's tirades against the Church, particularly its teachings.

"One of the things that the president did mention was - given that there is a separation of church and state - (he) expressed hope not to use the pulpit to criticize his administration," Roque said.

He said it was Duterte who did most of the talking while Valles listened.

According to Valles, it was Malacanang which invited him to a meeting with the president.

Roque said Duterte has been accepting criticisms from the ordinary people.

"But if possible, not from the pulpit and the criticisms against him (Duterte) should not come from the church because we have the separation of the Church and the State," he added.

In his previous speeches, Duterte called God "stupid" and even questioned some Catholic church's teachings, such as the original sin. Celerina Monte/DMS