Duterte to Cardinal Tagle: 'When did I threaten you?'

MANILA, Philippines — Who’s the bully?

While Malacañang officials said he did not feel alluded to, President Duterte has reacted strongly to Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle’s reminder that power should not be used to bully people.

On Tuesday, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte did not feel alluded to by Tagle’s comments because the President “does not bully people.”

Duterte, however, appeared to have contradicted his spokesman as he reacted to Tagle’s homily even if he was not mentioned in it.

“They say I shouldn’t threaten Bishop Tagle. When have I ever done that?” the President said during a gathering of barangay officials in Davao City on Tuesday.

Duterte went on to claim that a priest had wished him dead during a mass in support for opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

A priest identified as Fr. Noel Gatchalian jokingly wished Duterte sick during a mass in September but did not wish the President dead.

“To get back at them I’ll say, ‘OK, kill all the bishops who are inutile’,” Duterte said.

The President, who claims to believe in God but not in organized religion, went on to say Catholic priests portrayed him as a devil. The Catholic Church did not issue such statement.

“Using your religion as a platform to attack a person is wrong because of the separation of church and state,” Duterte said.

“We will never reach an understanding. We will never come to terms. The government is difficult to navigate. It too has no God,” he added.

Duterte has been making unsubstantiated claims against the Church, saying for example that 80 percent of priests are gay and bishops are stealing Church funds to support their mistresses.

Without naming names, Tagle said in a homily on Sunday that power should not be used to disrespect or coerce other people. Tagle also claimed that the “most afraid and insecure” are the ones using their power to belittle others.

Tagle made the remark after Duterte attacked the Catholic Church for lecturing about morality despite its supposed failure to address sexual abuses involving the clergy.

The Catholic Church, the religious group of more than 80 percent of Filipinos, has been critical of Duterte’s war on illegal drugs, which has left more than 5,000 people dead.