MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said on Wednesday he does not believe President Rodrigo Duterte had a hand in the death threats received by Bishop Pablo Virgilio David.
David, vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said his mobile phone “has been buzzing with text messages written in screaming and capital letters telling me that [he] was next in line for execution.”
READ: Bishop confirms death threats
In November last year, Duterte, without dropping a name, reportedly threatened to have the head of a bishop cut off if he was found to be buying drugs. In the same speech, he said David “could be into drugs.”
But for Albayalde, it was clear that Duterte wants the protection of priests.
“I think sinabi na ng President na protektahan ‘yung ating mga pari. I don’t think na mismong manggagaling sa President ‘yung threat. Probably outspoken ‘yung ating presidente pagdating doon pero of late nagsalita nga sya na we should protect our priests,” Albayalde told reporters in Camp Crame.
(I think the President already said that we should protect our priests. I don’t think that the threat will come from the President. Probably he was outspoken in that topic, but he recently said we should protect our priests.)
READ: About-face: Duterte now says ‘Don’t kill bishops, priests’
Albayalde said he already spoke with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Archbishop of Manila, and assured him that the PNP can provide protection to members of the clergy.
“I assured them we can provide protection doon sa dapat bigyan ng protection lalo na ang ating mga kaparian, and if they need to be protected or kailangan nila ng ating mga assistance in-assure naman natin sila na lumapit lang sila sa atin at bibigyan natin sila ng assistance,” Albayalde said.
(I assured them that we can provide protection to those who need protection, especially to our priests, and if they need to be protected or if they need assistance, we assure them that they will be assisted if they will come to us.) /ee