Duterte seeks truth on sexual abuses made by priests
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Mon, 04 Mar 2019 06:16:44 +0000
The truth must come out amid the allegations of sexual abuse against some Catholic priests, President Duterte said last Sunday.
“Totoo lang naman ang gusto ko eh. Just let the truth out, period,” the President said during the groundbreaking of the Isabela City gym in Basilan.
The President issued the statement as he stepped up his tirade against the alleged abusive priests during his visit to Basilan.
He noted that no less than Pope Francis held a summit at the Vatican to tackle the alleged abuses committed by some members of the clergy, including making nuns as sex slaves.
“Sinabi ko noon hinihipo kami. Nagkamali ako?” Duterte said. “When the Pope went to Dubai, he said that the priests were making nuns as sex slaves. Nagkamali ako?” he added.
He also shared a copy of the book “Altar of Secrets: Sex Politics and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church” to the audience. He urged them to read the book to learn the truth about the alleged church abuses.
“Ibigay mo doon sa Moro, Kristiyano pati Moro….para lumabas na ang totoo,” he said.
Duterte, who claimed to be molested by a priest when he was in high school, has often blasted the alleged abuse and corruption hounding the Catholic Church. He previously declared that the Church was the most hypocritical institution in the country.
In his visit to Zamboanga City Sunday night, the President reminded anew the priests not to use the pulpit to attack him, citing the separation of the Church and State.
“When you attack me, do not use the pulpit because that is the extension of the church. Kung gusto mo, lumabas ka,” he said during the administration Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan campaign rally. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)