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Pro-Duterte petition calls for resignation of two bishops

Catholic bishops in the Philippines accused of 'interfering in the politics in the country'
Pro-Duterte petition calls for resignation of two bishops

Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. Archbishop Villegas and retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz are the target of an online petition that calls for their "removal or resignation." (ucanews.com photo by Roy Lagarde)

Published: May 27, 2016 11:49 AM GMT
Updated: May 27, 2016 12:02 PM GMT

An online petition calling for the resignation of two Filipino Catholic bishops for "interfering in the politics in the country" was launched on Change.org this week.

The petition called for the "removal or resignation" of Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, president of the bishops' conference, and retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the same archdiocese.

"They don’t deserve to be called a vicar of Christ when their action doesn’t represent the teaching of the church," read part of the petition initiated by a certain Lorbertson Borres Jr. on May 26.

As of 5 p.m. on May 27, the petition garnered 6,849 supporters.

The call for their removal came days after incoming president Rodrigo Duterte lambasted the Catholic Church as "the most hypocritical institution" with a long history of wrongdoing.

Archbishop Cruz later dared Duterte, who won in the May 9 elections, to reveal the "sins of churchmen" for these to be corrected.

The incoming president, known for his often offensive comments, then told Archbishop Cruz, former head of the bishops' conference, to "shut up."

The archbishop said he was only trying "to tell the truth and to distinguish between right and wrong."

The petition alleged that Archbishops Villegas and Cruz have been supporters of outgoing President Benigno Aquino and campaigned against Duterte during the election.

"The Catholic Church has been a victim of the actions of this two bishops and the Catholic faithful have been affected by the dirty mouths of this two bishops," the petition read.

Before the elections, Archbishop Villegas issued a statement, as head of the bishops' conference, urging Catholics not to vote for a candidate "who takes positions that are not only politically precarious but worse, morally reprehensible."

The petition accused the two church leaders of creating a "division between Catholic faithful and the Filipino people."

"Catholics cannot tolerate the actions of this two bishops. Why do they keep interfering in the politics in the country when we have a separation of the state and church?" it added.

The petition said the "Filipino people and the Catholic population" elected Duterte.

"We need to support him in the changes he wants for our country," it said.

"We are Catholic and we vote for a sinner who genuinely serves the poor than for hypocrites who neglect them," it added.

Church leaders refused to comment on the petition.

Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu said the country's Catholic bishops have agreed to not issue any statement until Duterte assumes the presidency on June 30.

He said the decision was made during a meeting of some bishops, including Archbishop Villegas, on May 24.

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