Bishop Bacani to Duterte: We serve at the pope's pleasure, not yours

MANILA, Philippines — Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. gave a stinging retort to President Rodrigo Duterte's accusation that he has two wives.

"Parang sira. I pray for him (Crazy. I pray for him)," the bishop said Wednesday.

Duterte, in his latest rant on Tuesday against the Catholic prelates, highlighted the alleged corruption in the Church. 

He also questioned the moral ascendancy of the Catholic Church after criticisms on his drug war, adding that it is "full of shit." 

"What is your moral ascendancy in the Philippines? Religion? What is the meaning of it? Hindi kayo nakakatulong, daldal kayo nang daldal," Duterte said Tuesday as he addressed the families of 44 Special Action Force commandos killed in a covert mission in Maguindanao in 2015.

Bacani denied having two wives and said that he would have sued the president if not for his immunity. Although not expressly granted in the 1987 Constitution, it was the intent of the framers that the president may not be sued in any civil or criminal case during his tenure of office.

Catholic priests are sworn to celibacy and chastity. However, the Catholic Church has been rocked by allegations of sexual abuse through the years.

Pope Francis, in 2016, condemned abuse, especially of minors. "We must not tolerate the abuse of minors. We must defend minors. And we must severely punish the abusers," the pope said in an address in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.

The president also challenged bishops to resign. The prelates, however, replied that they serve at the pleasure of the pope and not Duterte's. — with reports from Edu Punay