 |
| President Rodrigo Duterte and former Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle / photo from Manila Bulletin |
President
Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Tuesday that former Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio
Cardinal Tagle was removed from his position by Pope Francis for allegedly
meddling in politics.
In a speech
before the local government officials in Pasay City, the President said the
Vatican investigated Tagle, who was transferred to the Vatican City to serve as
the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in February.
“Tingnan mo,
gamit nila ang pera, kinontribute nila doon sa yellow-yellow, tingnan mo ang
nangyari, wala tayong bishop ngayon,” Duterte said
“‘Di mo ba
alam, tinanggal. Binigyan lang tayo ng caretaker na pari, walang bishop ang
Manila. Nagalit si Pope kasi nakialam sa politika. Yan ang totoo dyan.
“Kaya ang
binigay sa atin officer-in-charge na lang. Wala tayong bishop. Tagle was out.
He was investigated. Yan ang open secret diyan. Eh ako presidente, siyempre
malaman ko kasi nakikinig ako sa lahat,” the President added
Tagle was the
Archbishop of Manila since 2011 until he was transferred to Rome this year.
Thus, the seat for Manila archdiocese is now vacant or “sede vacante”.
It is known
that Catholic Church has been criticizing the government for its alleged EJK
and human rights violations.
Meanwhile, Duterte
has also repeatedly lambasted the clergymen and bishops for meddling in
government issues.
The President
also said that priests should not use the pulpit to attack him and his policies,
particularly the war on drugs.
0 Comments