Departure honors is being accorded to outgoing President Bengino S. Aquino III at the Malacañan Place Grounds before his successor, President-elect Rodrigo Roa Duterte, takes his oath of office. President Aquino goes straight to his residence at Times Street in Quezon City on board a private vehicle after the honors. MALACAÑANG POOL PHOTO
DAVAO CITY – A pastor based here asked his fellow Filipinos to throw their support behind Rodrigo Duterte as he formally assumed his post as the 16th President of the Philippines on Thursday.
United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Pastor Angel Dizon Jr. said that now, more than ever, Filipinos need to support Duterte in order to successfully execute his war against criminality and drugs.
“Ngayong Presidente na siya ng Pilipinas, naniniwala ako na sa tulong ng sambayanan, makakamit yung success na six months na sinasabi niya na mawala na yung drugs at corruption. Kung magkakaisa lang ang mga tao. So wala talagang imposible,” Dizon said.
He also wished that Duterte will be true to his word on eliminating corruption in government.
“Sana yung corruption sa government saka yung drugs, (maalis na talaga). Wish ko sana na si President Duterte hindi lang sa salita kung hindi gawin talaga,” the pastor said.
Asked if he is concerned with Duterte engaging in a verbal tussle with the religious sector, the pastor said that the UCCP backs Duterte “100 percent.”
“Sa UCCP, wala kaming problema diyan. One hundred percent kaming sumusuporta kay Mayor Duterte. Kasi alam namin yung integrity niya, yung sinasabi niya, ginagawa niya talaga. May trust kami sa kanya kasi matagal na namin siyang kilala,” he said.
Duterte has blasted the Catholic Church in several occasions, even going as far as tagging it as the “most hypocritical institution” in the country.
Dizon joined other Davao City residents who watched the inauguration of their long time mayor as the Philippine President at the “Mallengke,” a market in Bangkerohan.
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