MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte has attacked the Catholic Church anew, describing it as an organization that is too imbued with the idea of instilling fear among its members.
“That’s what I do not like. The Catholic Church is too focused or too imbued with this – instilling fear. It is a religion (with a) catechism that starts with archangel and Satan and hell,” Duterte said before members of the Jesus Anointed One church in Davao City on Wednesday.
He then urged the attendees to search online the “Altar of Secrets,” a book written by the late investigative journalist Aries Rufo. The book details sexual misconduct, politics and money within the Philippine Catholic Church.
In the website goodreads.com, the book is featured as describing the church as being cloaked in secrecy, keeping the wrongdoings of its bishops and priests, including sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement, “within its confines and lets them get away unpunished.”
Duterte recalled that during the election period, he also criticized the Catholic Church and even challenged its officers during his miting de avance at the Rizal Park to make the presidential election a sort of referendum.
“The priests… during the election they came up with a pastoral letter that is obviously directed against me… so, I said let this be a referendum, me against the bishops. All Catholics who would want to go to heaven, go with the bishop. Those of you who want to go to hell, go with me,” the President said, noting that he received over 15 million votes or about six million votes higher than his nearest opponent.
“Takot sila sa akin ngayon. Binibira ko talaga sila (now, they are afraid of me. I don’t hesitate to criticize them),” he added.
He then went on to talk about the book, asking his audience to search for it online and warning them that they may kill all the priests if they would read it.
“It talks about misconduct, sex and everything,” Duterte said.
He also recounted an incident at a big church in Mission Hills in Los Angeles, California where a mass was attended only by him and his partner Honeylet and three Mexicans.