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‘HUWAG NAMANG BALAT-SIBUYAS’

Palace dismisses call for Duterte to apologize over remarks vs. God


Malacañang on Wednesday shrugged off the call of a group of Christians for President Rodrigo Duterte to apologize after he referred to God as “stupid” in his rant about the creation story in the Bible.

Duterte drew heavy criticism from various quarters for his remarks, with the Philippines for Jesus Movement demanding him to issue a public apology to God as disclosed by Bro. Eddie Villanueva.

Villanueva is a member of the Christian movement which claims to have 10 million members.

“I don't think anyone can demand anything from anyone not because he is President pero sabi nga niya, sumagot kayo kung gusto niyong sumagot. Ganyan po ang anyo ng malayang pananalita,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a radio interview.

Onion-skinned?

Roque maintained that Duterte is entitled to his personal beliefs and advised the Catholic Church not to be onion-skinned.

“‘Wag namang balat-sibuyas. At hindi naman pupuwede Simbahang Katolika lang ang magbabato ng kritisismo sa ating Presidente; at kapag ang Presidente nagbato ng kritisismo, eh parang hindi matanggap,” Roque said.

“Kasi, isa-isahin n’yo po, iyong mga pastoral letters; isa-isahin n’yo po ang mga deklarasyon ng mga namumunong mga bishops laban kay Presidente,” he added.

Duterte earlier said he respected the Catholic Church even as he has developed the habit of bringing up supposed misdeeds of clergymen in response to the Church’s criticism of the rising death toll in the administration’s war on drugs and killings of priests.

In the same radio interview, Roque also factored in politics as reason for the Catholic Church’s continued criticism of Duterte and his policies.

“Hindi nila matanggap na hindi talaga nanalo iyong kandidato nila, so hindi po siya tinantanan,” the Palace official said.

‘Working relationship’

Still, Roque said Duterte is hoping for a “working relationship” with the Catholic Church and other religious groups as both sides were scheduled to meet for a dialogue in a bid to reduce tensions.

“Tingnan natin kung papaano tayo magkaroon ng working relationship man lang, hindi 'yung palagi na lang tayong naggigiyerahan,” he said.

“Kung ano ang puwedeng mapagkasunduan, hindi ko pa po alam. Kasi ito po ay open, frank, at candid discussion ng kung may pagkakasunduan. Kung wala, wala. Pero buksan natin ang proseso ng dayalogo,” he added.

Making up the government panel are Roque, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella, and Council for Philippine Affairs secretary-general Pastor Boy Saycon.

Roque said the agenda would be defined by both parties once the dialogue commences. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News

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