Palace: Duterte’s remark on saints just a joke

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte’s remark about Catholicism’s veneration of saints was just a “joke” and would not affect the credibility of the 2,000-year-old faith, Malacañang said over the weekend.

Duterte, known for his foul language and off-the-cuff remarks, sparked controversy anew on Thursday when he questioned the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. 

During a meeting on the effects of Typhoon Rosita in Isabela, Duterte also called saints – men and women regarded by the Church as models of the faith – “fools” and “drunkards.” He suggested that people place a photo of him on the altar and revere him as “Santo Rodrigo.” 

Duterte’s statement did not sit well with Catholics, with one prelate, Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, describing the President as “a very sick man.”

David also noted there is nothing new about saints being called names, citing Jesus’ cousin St. John the Baptist, who was labeled “devil-possessed” by his critics. 

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte was “only making light of a serious situation briefing on the damage wrought by Typhoon Rosita.” 

He said the fact that the people who were present during the briefing burst into laughter showed that they were not offended by the remark, which was perceived by critics as an offensive religious statement. 

“A joke is a joke and the same does not require an explanation. Nor should it be given as a religious slight,” Panelo said in a statement Saturday. 

Panelo said Christianity or any major religion that preceded it, would “always survive the test of time.”

“The strength and credibility of a religious faith that has been there for more than two thousand years and survived wars and internecine cannot be affected by what some deem as an assault by non-believers nor will its faithful be offended by any playful jab on its saints,” Panelo said. 

Panelo argued that actions should be given more weight than words when ascertaining the true attributes of a person. 

“Certainly actions speak louder than words. The President visited his parents’ tombs in Davao City last Thursday coming straight from the Isabela situation briefing,” Panelo said. 

“Immediately prior to ending the briefing, the President made the parting words: ‘We all have our obligations to the dead. It’s practically part of the culture but more than that, it’s something that is very important for us to commune with our ancestors’,” he added. 

Hours before the briefing in Isabela, Malacañang released a statement quoting Duterte as saying that Filipinos should emulate the saints and become advocates of peace. 

“May their deeds inspire us to become advocates of peace and solidarity as we do our part in building our nation and in alleviating the suffering of others,” the statement read. 

“Together, let us emulate our saints, pray for the eternal repose of souls and deepen our engagement with our communities as we work for real and lasting change.”

The Catholic Church, the religious group of more than 80 percent of Filipinos, has been critical of the President’s crackdown on illegal drugs, which has claimed the lives of more than 4,000 suspected offenders. 

Duterte countered the criticism by pointing out the Church’s supposed failure to stop the sexual abuses carried out by the clergy and to uplift the lives of its believers.