Bishop on Duterte: ‘Some kind of change’

NO CONDEMNATION Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma visits a city prison to celebrate Mass. —WENCESLAO “JUNJIE” MENDOZA

CEBU CITY — Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent call not to harm Catholic Church leaders, calling it a sign of change.

“I’m happy over one person who tries to change in that sense,” Palma said.

“I hope and pray that there is always room for improvement,” he said in an interview on Saturday.

“Instead of developing animosity or finding ways of disagreement, we must find ways to collaborate and work together for the good of the community,” he added.

Mr. Duterte earlier warned against killing religious leaders, saying his fight with the Catholic Church was “personal.”

His recent statement was contrary to his December 2018 remark urging people to kill bishops.

The President said he received a text message from a cardinal, who was in Rome at that time for the Vatican summit on sexual abuse, stating that Bishop Pablo Virgilio David and other priests had received death threats.

The President then warned those who would harm priests and nuns: “Do not try to do it. The religious has nothing to do with the vagaries of life.”

“Lay off. Once you touch a nun and priest or imam … Don’t harm them because they are religious people. If you touch them, we will have to fight. They are not included [in our war on drugs],” he added. Palma said it would be better if Mr. Duterte stopped threatening priests and bishops as some people may use it to destroy his administration.

“It could be done by someone who is not with Duterte. Any threats against any bishops does not necessarily come from the President,” the 68-year-old archbishop said.