Priest: ‘We want Duterte to succeed’
TACLOBAN City– A retired formator in the Archdiocese of Palo called on the faithful to pray for President Rodrigo Duterte that he succeeds as president amid intense criticism the latter has been receiving.
In calling for prayer for Duterte, Fr. Oscar Lorenzo, a resident priest in Tacloban’s Sto. Niño Parish, said in his recent homily, “Since he is our president, we want him to succeed, we want him to do what is best for the Philippines, if not for this problem in himself.”
Noting Duterte’s positive points, he is convinced that with guidance and wisdom from God, he will be able to lead the country while upholding the rights and dignity of Filipinos.
‘Iglesia ni Duterte’
According to the priest, since Duterte is not god, he has to be guided by the wisdom of the God of Christians, whom he adored when he was still a Catholic.
He likewise urged the churchgoers to pray for the members of Duterte’s cabinet, who technically are his alter egos, that they properly advise him on various issues.
Lorenzo, who does not fear criticizing what he believes are the government’s misguided policies, recently condemned some of Duterte’s pronouncements, including the creation of “Iglesia ni Duterte” where men can marry up to five times.
This cleric opposed Duterte’s inclination towards divorce, his alleged defilement of the Holy Host, his maligning of the Holy Water, and the government’s war on drugs that he said brought on a spathe of extrajudicial killings, debasing “the sanctity of life.”
Very recently, the head of state threatened to kill off barangay officials involved in the illegal drug trade and the “narco-mayors” who will not resign from their posts.
Call for prayers
Since the declaration of an all-out war on drugs last November, about six thousand men and women were killed in either drug buy-bust operations, in legitimate police operations, and summary executions.
He also said Duterte should be cautious of what he says in public.
Lorenzo likewise feared Dr. Natividad Dayan’s declaration in the annulment case of Duterte and his former wife Elizabeth Zimmerman that alleged the president suffers from anti-social narcistic personality disorder.
The doctor further said Duterte’s condition is characterized by “gross indifference, insensitivity, and self-centeredness,” among other unwholesome personality traits.
The media hyped this psychiatric finding as a national problem, which Lorenzo said should motivate Filipinos to pray for Duterte as the country’s chief executive. CBCPNews
