Gov’t dialogue with CBCP ‘not taking a backseat’ — Roque

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday said the dialogue between a government panel and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) can push through now that the President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (Sona) is over.

“It’s still on. We will still arrange it. We’re waiting a word from the CBCP kung sino ang panel nila because we have a four-man panel already. It’s not taking a backseat,” Roque said in a press briefing at Ipil Municipal Hall in Zamboanga Sibugay province on Thursday.

“We were all involved in the Sona preparation so parang tumigil yung mundo namin sa Malacañang for the Sona but now that the Sona is over we will resume particularly this dialogue,” Roque explained.

In June, Roque disclosed that Duterte formed a team to address and mend differences between the Church and the government.

READ: Duterte forms team to dialogue with Catholic Church, other groups

The four-man team tasked to dialogue with the CBCP include Roque himself, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr., Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella, and Council for Philippine Affairs Secretary General Pastor “Boy” Saycon Jr.

Earlier this month, Duterte and CBCP President Romulo Valles had a 30-minute dialogue with the president. The meeting came after the president’s controversial remarks against God and the Catholic Church caused public uproar. — Syrah Vivien Inocencio/INQUIRER.net Intern

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

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