Archbishop Cruz scores Pope-cursing, womanizing Duterte

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz scored Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Monday after the latter's profanity-laced presidential declaration speech that included a curse directed at Pope Francis.

"Delikado ang mga ganitong nilalang, higit pa kung ito ang napiling pinuno ng isang bansa," Cruz told GMA News. "Mas masahol pa siya sa diktador."

Duterte came under fire among netizens for his comments about being stuck in traffic during last January's Papal Visit, when 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.

But Cruz refused to dwell on the comments made by Duterte toward the pontiff.

"'Wag na nating patulan ang pahayag ng tao na akala mo siya ay Diyos," said Cruz.

Instead, the church official said voters need to take a critical look at Duterte's views, which he called "dangerous."

"Paurong ang pananaw kung lahat ng karapatan ay puro sa kaniya, mahirap espelengin ang ganyang tao," said Cruz. "Isinasaalang-alang ang human rights. May problema ang ganyang kaisipan."

Duterte has long been a target of critics for his human rights record in Davao City. In Monday's speech, he showed no desire to back down, even boasting about killing criminals in his hometown.

"Ang atake sa akin is pumapatay ng tao. Totoo 'yan, wala tayong problema diyan. Yang mga taga Davao, alam nila yan," Duterte said.

Duterte also openly admitted to his womanizing, claiming to have two wives and two girlfriends.

All these admissions, according to Cruz, underscored just how these make Duterte unfit to hold the country's top post.

"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.

Meanwhile, Duterte's running mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano 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.

"Ganu'n lang talaga siya mag-express, but he means well," he told reporters after the proclamation.

He added: "He does not hurt people based on their ideology and belief. He is just out to get criminals." —JST, GMA News