Duterte thanks Allah for BOL, hits priests anew

President Rodrigo Duterte praised Allah for the progress in the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but continued to call out Catholic priests who have been critical of some of his administration's policies.

Allah is God in the Muslim faith.

“God must be good to us. The fact that we have reached this point after so many years of negotiation and interruptions. We are here. Insha’Allah. God is great. Allahu Akbar," Duterte said.

“Talaga kung wala si Allah, mahirapan tayo dito. The fact that we were able to go to Congress smoothly, with a minimum of objections and especially from those who are not from Mindanao," he added.

Duterte, however, took the opportunity to criticize Catholic leaders who have been critical of his policies, particularly his war on drugs.

“There is a part of me which is Islam actually. Kaya kung magaway-away kami ng mga buang na pari na ‘yan, hindi man ako Katoliko,” Duterte said.

Duterte’s pronouncements came a day after Malacañang told clergymen not to meddle on how the President ran the government.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Thursday that the President's tirades against the clergy and the Catholic teachings should not worry the bishops considering the church's long existence.

"There is therefore no need for some of its leaders to act distressed and manifest their unpleasant comments against the President, especially with respect to how the President runs the government,"Panelo said.

Panelo made the remark after Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas' expressed concern for Duterte's health. 

Villegas said that Duterte's tirades against the Catholic church may not be good for his health and stature as the country's leader.

Balanga, Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos and Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. also came out with statements slamming Duterte’s latest remarks, especially on his advice for bystanders to rob and killed rich bishops. —NB, GMA News