Palace to Villegas: ‘Those without sin, cast the first stone’

Salvador Panelo, chief presidential legal counsel and presidential spokesperson (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — “Those without sin, cast the first stone.“

Malacañang had this to say on Tuesday in response to the video showing Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas slamming President Rodrigo Duterte for attacking the Catholic Church.

In a video running more than 8 minutes, which was posted on his Facebook page, Villegas, a former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, responded to the President’s tirades against the Catholic Church.

“My dear brothers and sisters, are you going to betray God? Are you going to deny your faith, by your vote?” he asked.

The video showed the attacks of Duterte against the Church, including his statement calling God “stupid” and mocking the death of Jesus.

Villegas read Bible verses between Duterte’s videos slamming the Church.

Sought for comment, Panelo responded with Bible verses.

“Thou shall not judge so that you shall not be judged. Those without sin, cast the first stone,” he said. /atm