Duterte’s view of God could be rooted in his ‘unfortunate’ past, says priest

Priest, author, and former TV reporter Father Nick Lalog said President Rodrigo Duterte’s different and “incorrect” view of God is a problem that could be rooted in his unfortunate experience with a priest, who allegedly abused him sexually.

Lalog, parish priest of Saint John the Apostle in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, told Radyo Inquirer, “Eto nga ang problema. Meron siyang ibang pagkakakilala sa Diyos na hindi naman iyon [ang tama] (This is the problem. He has a different view about God which is incorrect.).”

Duterte claimed that he was abused by a Catholic priest when he was teenager.

READ: Roque: Calling God ‘stupid’ could spring from Duterte’s frustration with Church

Lalog acknowledged that Duterte’s experience was not an isolated case and he urged his fellow priests to work better to avoid such abuses in the future.

“Kaya nga the more we should pray for him [Duterte] and the more we should strive to be better priests para wala nang ganyang mga pang-aabuso. Totoo namang nangyayari yan eh,” Lalog said.

(That is why we should pray for him and the more we should strive to be better priests so that none of these abuses will happen again. It’s true that it happens [in the Church].)

The priest also called on Filipino Catholics to renew their interest in the Church and in Christian teachings.

“Eto yung panahon na muli, mag-aral tayo. Ilan yung programa sa Simbahan na binibigay, walang gustong um-attend. Kaya ang panawagan ni Cardinal [Luis Antonio] Tagle, magsimba kayo ulit,” Lalog said.

(This is the time when we should study again. The Church offers a lot of programs but no one wants to attend. That is why Cardinal Tagle’s call is go back to church again.)

“May Bible class ako, meron akong Catechism, wala namang um-aattend. O ayan, ngayon tayo maghahagip,” he added.

(I offer Bible class, I have Catechism, yet nobody attends. Now we have to catch up.)  /vvp