Don’t gossip, bishop warns Duterte

Bishop Teodoro Bacani speaks during the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy at the National Shrine and Parish of St. Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, Jan. 18, 2017. (Maria Tan/CBCPNews)

MANILA, Jan. 26, 2017— A Catholic bishop warned President Duterte against spreading rumors and gossip or accusing people without proof.

Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani said spreading gossip is unbecoming of a president of the land.

“He is degrading his leadership. A president who is rumormonger turns many people off,” said Bacani Radio Veritas on Thursday.

Duterte hurled vulgar, personal tirades against bishops and priests recently for criticizing his war on drugs that claimed more than 7,000 lives since his assumption of the presidency.

He also accused Bacani of having two wives like him after the latter on Jan. 18 criticized the Philippine National Police’s anti-drug campaign as a “bringer of death.”

Speaking before more than 5,000 delegates of an international church event in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, the prelate also chided the PNP for its supposed failure to solve the mounting cases of summary killings.

The bishop challenged Duterte to prove his allegation, adding that he will give him Php10 million if the latter can reveal his supposed two wives to the public.

“If the president can produce just one wife of mine, I will give him 5 million pesos even if I have to borrow the money for it. And if he can produce two, he will have ten million,” Bacani said.

He also reminded Duterte to treat his post with dignity and respect by not spreading lies or unverified information.

“He should be careful! He is a president and not just an ordinary gossip-monger,” Bacani said. (CBCPNews)