Dialogue between State and Church gets mix reactions

CEBU, Philippines — Plans to open a dialogue between State and Church officials following the controversial remark from the president drew various reactions from the Cebu clergy.

The two auxiliary bishops of Cebu, Oscar Jaime Florencio and Dennis Villarojo, are both receptive to the idea.

Florencio, for his part, sees a good opportunity upon the gesture of the government seeking to collaborate with the Catholic prelates.

He agreed both institutions need to meet and discuss the issues to remove differences.

"I fully agree that we all need the path of dialogue. Through this path of dialogue, issues will be ironed out," he told The FREEMAN.

President Rodrigo Duterte yet again spoke negatively against the Catholic Church after calling God "stupid" and  a “son of a b-tch."

Recently, the presidential spokesperson said agreements were made that Duterte and the head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, will have a one-on-one dialogue.

Other bishops, however, are doubtful of Duterte's sincerity in his desire for a dialogue.

According to ABS-CBN News, Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo said that the call for a dialogue was “just his (Duterte) way of diffusing the criticisms against him.”

But for Florencio, it is better to give merit to the dialogue just as it is.

"One of the things we can expect is when there is a dialogue, we can work hand in hand together without being suspicious. When we can work together, our constituents are guided," he said.

Villarojo, for his part, said the Catholic Church is always willing to consider having a dialogue "but not at the cost of her values."

These values, he continued, are regard to the sanctity of human life and to the moral principle that "the end does not justify the means."

"We are open to adialogue pero kun unsa man gani ang hisgutan dili mahimo nga mohilum ang Simbahan pag-denounce sa mga patay tungod lang kay mohilom na sad ang pikas pagpanaway," he told The FREEMAN in another interview.

What both need, he added, is a "sincere" dialogue that seeks solutions to problems with the collaboration of everybody using only ethical means to attain common ends.

Duterte has been critical to the Philippine Catholic hierarchy which has criticized the president for his "bloody" campaign against the illegal drugs.

Population in the country is largely comprised of Catholics. The Cebu archdiocese is considered the country's largest archdiocese for it has the most number of Catholics, priests, and seminarians.

Msgr. Joseph Tan, Cebu archdiocese spokesperson, said there is no official statement yet released here in response to the recent issue.

But he said Duterte and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma remains to have a cordial relationship. (FREEMAN)