Duterte meets Valles, agrees to ‘moratorium on statements’ vs Church

Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP president, meets with President Rodrigo Duterte and special assistant Christopher Go on Monday, July 9, 2018, in Malacañang. (Photo from Malacañang)

President Rodrigo Duterte met with Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), in Malacañang Palace on Monday afternoon.

In a text message, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the two leaders met at around 4 p.m.

The President, Roque said, agreed to a “moratorium on statements” against the Catholic Church.

“[Duterte] agreed to a moratorium on statements about the Church after the meeting. It was a one-on-one meeting,” he said.

Photos released by Malacañang showed the President and Valles in a private meeting inside the Palace.

Except for Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, no other official was present during the meeting. /atm