Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan Philippine Catholic bishops are standing by Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan after he was targeted by President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent tirades.
The controversial president accused the Kalookan prelate of giving Church donations to his family. Duterte also said he thought the bishop might be into drugs and threatened him with hanging.
Archbishop Romulo Valles, head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said Church leaders are “saddened and disturbed” by the president’s recent statements.
Archbishop Valles of Davao, a friend of Duterte, said he was surprised by the president’s pronouncements “that allege that Bishop David had committed actions that question his integrity”.
He added: “Bishop David has already answered clearly and equally all these allegations.”
Archbishop Valles said the country’s bishops can vouch that Bishop David, a Bible scholar and critic of Duterte’s anti-narcotics war, is a “very good bishop, a dedicated shepherd and father of his flock”.
“He is very passionate in his ministry, bringing mercy and compassion, especially to the poor and suffering among his people,” he said.
In a circular issued on November 28, Archbishop Valles appealed for prayers for the Kalookan bishop to have “more strength as well as calmness and peace in this difficult situation”.