Duterte blasts Filipino bishops, says he will ‘go to hell’ to end drug traffic

February 08, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has angrily rejected criticism from the country’s Catholic bishops, who said that vigilante groups have created a “reign of terror” by killing thousands of suspected drug dealers.

Duterte—who has repeatedly indicated his approval of the extra-judicial killings—sarcastically suggested that Catholics who are free to side with the bishops if “you want to go to heaven.” But he insisted that he would not change his policies.

“If you want to end drugs,” Duterte said, “I will go to hell. Come join me.”

 

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Further information:

• ‘I will go to hell. Join me,’ says Filipino leader about Catholic backlash (Crux)
• Filipino bishops take stand against return of death penalty (CWN, 1/31)