Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte shows his Certificate of Candidacy for President at the Comelec office. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
It’s not about money.
“The presidency is about character, nothing more, nothing less,” said Caritas Manila executive director Fr. Anton Pascual.
Davao City Mayor Duterte, slammed for his expletive-laden public pronouncements, has offered to donate P1,000 to Caritas each time he spouts the Filipino cuss word “PI” in public.
READ: Duterte keeps track of self-imposed fine for swearing
“The issue here is not the money he would donate. The issue here is that a President or a presidentiable should be a good model. He should not be swearing in public because the presidency is about character. He should stop swearing and he needs to have self-control,” Pascual said in an interview over the Church-run Radio Veritas.
Pascual added that Duterte should not involve Caritas Davao in his attempt to regulate himself from cursing in public.
The feisty mayor came under fire after he cursed Pope Francis during the proclamation event of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on Nov. 30. He subsequently denied his slur against the Pope, saying that he was cursing government incompetence in managing road traffic problems.
READ: Duterte denies slur on Pope: I was cursing gov’t incompetence
Duterte later had a closed-door meeting with Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles and Bishop George Rimando where he said that he was lectured about Christian values.
READ: Davao bishop gives Duterte rosary for ‘atonement of sin
Duterte then vowed to lessen his use of cuss words, adding that he would donate P1,000 to Caritas Davao for each cuss word he utters.
Pascual said Duterte should serve as a model for the youth.
“We are being looked up to as role models, especially the youth. That’s why it’s important for a President or a presidentiable that he shows GMRC—good moral and right conduct—at all times. A President is a model of right conduct and attitude,” he reminded Duterte.
Duterte earlier said he was planning to make a P50,000 deposit to his “cuss fund.”
The tough-talking local executive said he had donated P3,000 to Caritas Davao.
Max de Mesa of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates said Duterte’s admission about his human rights record creates “an atmosphere of impunity.”
“When Mr. Duterte admits that he has raised the actual killing number from 700 to 1,700, either it is a challenge in relation to those who are sensitive to due process and at the same time to impunity itself,” De Mesa said.
“It is alarming that we have reached a level wherein we’re taking for granted that we could have somebody in high places, particularly the presidency, who advocates this kind of process,” he added.
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