In the Philippines, the Catholic Church stands between the vulnerable and Duterte. Bishop Jose Oliveros, along with many others, has spoken out against the drug war and the extra-judicial murders. Pope Francis has also joined these voices, causing Duterte to condemn the Pope as a “son of a whore“. Duterte also routinely lashes out against the local Catholic clergy, clearly frustrated by an independent institution beyond his control. Duterte has attempted to damage the Church’s credibility by focusing on scandals and corruption within the local Church.
The people of the Philippines are overwhelmingly Catholic, a fact that will limit the president’s actions against the Church. Americans who love their liberty and intermediary institutions, as well as Catholics around the world, should strongly support the Catholic Church in the Philippines. They are willing to stand up for life and for their parishioners in the face of massive government pressure. If anyone eventually defeats Duterte, they will need the help of a Church untainted by government control. The Church is the greatest, perhaps the only, opposition party against this madness.
