VIGAN CITY, Philippines — “I am Rodrigo Duterte. I am sorry for taking the name of the Pope in vain,” said Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as he met with Monsignor Vicente Avila here on Thursday.
As a response, Avila invited Duterte inside the Metropolitan Cathedral to pray for him.
“Let’s go inside and we’ll pray,” Avila told Duterte.
Duterte became controversial when he uttered an invective at the heavy traffic when Pope Francis visited the Philippines in January 2015.
The tough-talking mayor took his campaign to this city after a successful sortie in Pangasinan.
Duterte was treated as if he were a heartthrob as Ilocanos lined up the streets cheering and chanting “Duterte, Duterte.”
He went to the provincial capitol with Gov. Ryan Luis Singson where he was warmly welcomed by capitol employees.
The mayor walked shortly to the city hall, but he occasionally stopped to take selfies with his supporters.
After a short visit at the cathedral, Duterte visited “empanada” vendors and listened to their plights.
If elected president in May, Duterte reiterated his vow to stop corruption in government, which affects even small vendors.
Duterte also held a “Kalesa” caravan around the heritage city of Vigan before proceeding to a speaking engagement at the Vigan Convention Plaza.
