Panelo says Duterte free to express opinion vs Catholic Church

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against the Roman Catholic Church are not baseless and are well within his freedom of expression, his chief legal counsel said Wednesday.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the president has access to intelligence reports and records and would not issue statements that do not have any basis.

“You must remember, he has access to intelligence reports, records. I don’t think the president will make any statement that is not backed up by records or documents or testimonies,” he told reporters in Malacañan.

Panelo was asked to react to the statement of former Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr., whom the president accused of having two wives.

Bacani said Duterte was “parang sira” or acting like crazy and that he would have filed libel charges against the president if he were not immune from suit.

Asked if he thinks Duterte’s vulgar remarks against priests were necessary, Panelo said: “That’s within the umbrella of freedom of expression.”

“Not because he is president, you will deny him of such right. If an ordinary citizen can express such opinion or observation I think we should also give the president the same right,” he added.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Duterte's tirades vs Church: He has freedom of expression @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/7WgY6pFP2X

— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) January 25, 2017

Duterte previously accused priests of not brushing their teeth when hearing confessions and not washing their hands when giving communion. He also accused priests of having illicit affairs and allowing homosexual acts inside seminaries.

Bacani and other members of the Catholic clergy have criticized Duterte’s bloody war on drugs and condemned the culture of impunity that it supposedly encouraged.

Last Tuesday, Duterte described the Catholic Church as “full of shit” and even challenged bishops to resign if reports about the corruption and sex scandals involving clergymen are proven true.

The president said he is ready to step down if anyone proves that he is lying about the Catholic Church, the religious group of more than 80 percent of Filipinos.