Duterte says he respects the Church: Hindi ko kayang pumatay ng pari

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday refuted allegations that his government has been inciting violence on priests, who he has roundly criticized for alleged misdeeds.

Duterte, in a rare conciliatory tone towards the Catholic church, said he had not adopted a policy of hatred against members of the clergy. 

"Wala kaming policy na galit kami sa pari. Nothing of that sort. As a matter of fact nirerespeto ko 'yung Simbahan. Ang akin lang mahinto lang itong a few bishops na medyo 'yung sabi na nili-link nila ang gobyerno [to the killings of priests]," the President told a gathering of the Philippine Councilors League in Iloilo City.

"Sa totoo lang, hindi ko kayang magpatay ng pari, pati babae, bata," he added.

Critics said Duterte's harsh words directed at priests may have emboldened the killers of clergymen, three of them gunned down in the last six months.

Duterte denied persecuting priests and did not discount the possibility that some of them were killed for their advocacy.

The President also repeated his remark that he did not release details of the death of Fr. Mark Ventura because it would not look good for the Catholic Church.

Duterte earlier presented to the public a matrix to show that Ventura, an anti-mining advocate, could have been killed because of his alleged illicit affairs with women.

"There's a matrix there and you can choose your conclusion whatever it is. That's the hottest thing at the moment now. There seems to be something like an undercurrent going on," he said.

"I do not want it for after all the Catholic church is not a political party. I have nothing to do with you. So sinusupress ko lang muna but if I release it to you and you demand for it publicly I will release all including the previous killing of priests," the President said.

Before he touched base with councilors, Duterte went to Cabatuan, Iloilo where the church bells rang while he was in the middle of slamming priests who were killed but who were alleged to be womanizing.

"It’s the tolling of the bells," Duterte said before he paused for a few moments. "Karami naman noon. Tatlo lang OK naman. Ano ba ‘yung bell boy ninyo? Sabihin mo tumahimik ka diyan bell boy. Nasobrahan mo rin.

"You know I do not want to create a scene but you know I have my duty. I am a Christian and I believe in God, I respect the tolling of the bells," Duterte added. —JST, GMA News