CHR welcomes Duterte’s call not to kill bishops, priests

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s call not to harm religious leaders.

“The President’s call to not harm religious leaders underscores the government’s obligation to protect everyone regardless of religion, political affiliation, ethnicity, among others,” CHR Spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement on Tuesday.

Duterte issued the call after receiving a text message from Archbishop Luis Cardinal Tagle stating that Bishop David and other priests have received death threats.

With this, the President warned the public not to kill the religious leaders, saying his fight with the Catholic Church is “personal.”

“Ang sagot ko ganito, ‘yang aming away ko sa Katoliko amin lang yan personal. Kayong mga adik, ‘wag ninyong totohanin ‘yong pukpokin yung bishop at kardinal, hindi sila kasali sa political ruckus,” Duterte said in a speech on Monday.

READ: About-face: Duterte now says ‘Don’t kill bishops, priests’

Duterte’s recent statement was an about-face from his December 2018 remark urging people to kill bishops.

READ: Another joke? Duterte says Catholic bishops useless… kill them

The CHR is hoping that this positive shift in the Duterte administration would be applied as well to other critics of the government.

“The Commission welcomes this positive shift and hopes for similar statements from the administration especially for those who are deemed critical towards the government,” De Guia said. /ee