Duterte on cursing Pope Francis: He's compassionate, he'll understand
November 30, 2015 9:23pm

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte thinks Pope Francis will understand comments he made about the pontiff on Monday during his declaration speech as the standard-bearer of PDP-Laban.

The tough-talking mayor has come under fire from netizens for cussing out the pontiff during his rambling speech, which included an anecdote about getting stuck in traffic during last January's Papal Visit.

Duterte said it took him five hours to travel to the airport because of road closures.

"Sabi ko, 'Bakit?' Sabi sarado na [ang daan]. Sabi ko, 'Sinong darating?' Sabi si Pope. Gusto kong tawagan, 'Pope, p— ina ka, umuwi ka na. 'Wag ka nang bumisita dito," Duterte quipped.

In an ambush interview after his speech, Duterte said he thinks Pope Francis won't take issue with the comments.

"Compassionate si Pope. Maiintindihan niya ako. Kayo man maihi sa loob ng sasakyan, matutuwa ba kayo?" he said.

Duterte's running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano also defended the mayor's comments about the Pope.

"I think he was not referring to the Pope kasi I have heard him talk about that many times. He was talking about you should not close streets and inconvenience people for anyone in the world. But the way kasi he speaks about and shows frustrations kasi," he said.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz refused to dwell on the comments made by Duterte toward the pontiff, but said the mayor's track record in womanizing and human rights make him unfit to be president.

"Papatay siya kung sino ang gusto niya. Mag-aasawa siya kung ilan ang gusto niya. Delikado 'yan kung talagang alam niya ang sinasabi niya. Nakakatakot," said Cruz. —JST, GMA News


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