Palace responds to Church leaders' criticisms by using Bible quotes

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Tuesday clapped back at Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas who posted a video where he criticized President Rodrigo Duterte and, at the same time, urged the faithful not to "betray God" with their vote.

“Thou shall not judge so that you shall not be judged. Those without sin, cast the first stone. That’s my response to Bishop Villegas," Panelo said in a text message to reporters.

Earlier in the day, Villegas posted an eight-minute video on Facebook with the caption: "Are you going to betray God again?”
 

The archbishop started off with a text flashed on screen, “I believe…therefore I reject!”

Villegas then read several Bible verses in between controversial public statements made by President Duterte during his speeches.

At one point, he quoted Luke 22:48, asking if viewers will betray God with their vote.

“The Lord said, ‘Are you betraying the son of man with a kiss.’ My dear brothers and sisters, are you going to betray God? Are you going to deny your faith by your vote?” Villegas said.

The Ministry of Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, which Villegas heads, was credited at end of the video. — Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA News