Palace congratulates Tagle on promotion to cardinal-bishop

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday congratulated Cardinal-Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle on his appointment to the highest rank in the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the 62-year-old Tagle brought great honor to the Philippines as a bastion of the Catholic faith in Asia.

“We warmly greet His Eminence, Cardinal Tagle, on his appointment as a cardinal-bishop. This is the highest title of a cardinal in the Catholic Church,” Roque said in a press briefing on Monday.

“The achievement of Your Eminence is the achievement of the Filipino people. Thank you for this honor and congratulations,” he added.

Roque made the remarks a few days after Pope Francis promoted Tagle to the rank of cardinal-bishop.

The former archbishop of Manila left the Philippines recently to take on the role of Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Tagle, who joins 13 other cardinal-bishops, has been described as a “papabile” by Vatican observers who said he has the potential to be a candidate for Pope someday.

Last March, President Rodrigo Duterte alleged that Tagle was booted out from his post as Manila archbishop and that Pope Francis was angered for Tagle’s “meddling” in politics.

Catholic bishops have refuted the President’s claims as “lies, distortion of truth and unfounded accusations.”