Who is Duterte’s God, Trillanes asks

Who is President Rodrigo Duterte’s God?

This was the question raised Thursday by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV amid the President’s statement that the God he believes in is not the same as the God of the Catholic Church and Christians.

“Sino ba ang Diyos niya kung hindi ‘yung Diyos, hindi lang ng Kristiyano kundi Diyos na pinaniniwalaan ng tao. E sino ito? Baka may sungay itong Diyos niya,” Trillanes said during the weekly Kapihan sa Senado new forum.

Last week, Duterte criticized not just the Catholic Church but God Himself and the story of creation.

“Who is this stupid God? Estupido talaga itong p***** ina kung ganun. You created some—something perfect and then you think of an event that would tempt and destroy the quality of your work," Duterte said in a speech in Davao City during the opening of the 2018 National ICT Summit on June 23.

Two days later, Duterte defended his statement, saying he made the remark in connection with Australian nun Sister Patricia Fox's opposition to his government.

“Sinabi ko your God is not my God because your God is stupid. Mine has a lot of common sense,” he said in a speech before newly elected barangay chairpersons of Northern Mindanao in Cagayan de Oro City.

Duterte has since created a panel to talk with the Catholic Church and other religious organizations over his controversial remark.

But Trillanes said the dialogue will not address the problem unless the President issues a sincere apology because he offended not only the Catholic church leaders but the entire Filipino Catholics and Christians.

“‘Yung atraso ni Duterte hindi lang sa mga CBCP leaders o church leaders, sa lahat ito ng Filipino Christians at sa Diyos, of course. ‘Yung faith ng Filipino Christians ay yinurakan niya at ‘yun ang kasalanan niya na hindi ito maaayos ng dialogue na ‘yan,” he said.

“‘Yung argument nila na ito daw ay karapatan ni Duterte na magsabi siya ng kanyang sariling pananampalataya, hindi ‘yun ang issue e. Ang issue dito ay ‘yung pananampalataya ng Kristiyanong Fiipino. Wala kang  karapatan na idisrespect at i-mock ‘yun. ‘Yun ang issue, ‘yun ang kasalanan niya. Ililihis niya na ‘yung Diyos daw ng Kristyano ay istupido, ‘yung Diyos daw niya ay perpekto,” he added.

Sought for his comment, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said: “Ewan ko ba parang nagiging specialist na on the devil itong si Senator Trillanes. Wala ng sinabi kung hindi devil. So I’ll leave it to him as the specialist on what the devil does.”

Roque also said he was no longer surprised by Trillanes’ call for the President to apologize over the incident. “I think Senator Trillanes is entitled to his own opinion. I’m hardly surprised about this latest opinion. He’s had nothing good to say about the President. I think the feeling naman is mutual.” 

Claim of being abused

At the same time, Trillanes expressed doubt on the claim of Duterte that he was abused by a Catholic priest when he was young.

“Ginagawa niya dina-justify ito dahil inabuso siya nung bata siya. HIndi ako naniniwala run dahil anak siya ng governor, may mga bodyguard siya, matatakot ang pari abusuhin siya. Very powerful ang tatay niya e hindi maglalakas loob ang pari,” he said.

Trillanes said that even if Duterte was indeed abused, it is still not right for him to mock other people’s faith.

Terrorizing the Church?

Trillanes said he believes what the President is doing is terrorizing the Catholic Church which has been opposing his policy against extrajudicial killings.

“Ang ginagawa niya, tinatakot niya lahat ng Pinoy kasi itong Catholic Church, isa sa mga sektor na nage-express ng concern sa mga polisiya niya, ayaw niya nang ganun, gusto niya lahat lumuluhod sa kanya,” he said.

“Since hindi niya makontrol, gusto niya ngayon itong Catholic ay umalis at ‘wag maniwala sa mga pari, sinisiraan niya para di pakikinggan ang mga sermon at ‘wag na raw magsimba at pumunta na lang daw dun sa Iglesia ni Duterte kung saan lahat ng kasalanan puwedeng gawin. Ganun ang ginagawa niya para mabawasan ang credibility,” he added.

Trillanes said what Duterte is doing will have a backlash.

“For sure iba (ang backlash) kasi ang faith, alam mo ang Pinoy sa hirap na pinagdaraanan ‘yung faith ang nagpapalakas sa kanya, nagmo-motivate sa kanya to wake up in the morning,” he said.

Asked if praying for Duterte would work, the senator said he believes something will happen.

“Naniniwala tayo na prayers can do miracles pero hindi ‘yung gusto natin na paraan na magbabago siya. Kapag nagdasal kayo hayaan n’yo naman ang Diyos na dumiskarte kung ano ang gusto nya, pag sinabi n’yang tama ka na dyan marami na ang nahihirapan kukunin ka na ng kabila,” he said. — with Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News