Will the Catholic Church Go to War Against Duterte in the Philippines?

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has alienated some of his Catholic supporters as he has continued to criticize not only church leaders but also the Christian faith. As this pattern continues, the key question is whether Duterte’s actions will prompt a strong blowback within one of the largest Christian-majority countries in the world.

Duterte has been ranting against church leaders since coming to power back in 2016. But he stepped up the attacks a few months ago when he called God “stupid” and ridiculed Christian teachings about the existence of heaven, hell, and purgatory. He even dared the public to show him a selfie of God.

Considering that in the Philippines, 92 percent of the population is Christian – with 81 percent Roman Catholic – Duterte’s statements offended many. The Catholic hierarchy remains influential in the country and played a leading role in the People Power movements in 1986 and 2001, which each ousted a sitting president.

What is Duterte’s motive for engaging in an unnecessary war with the Catholic Church? Assuming that there is a strategy behind his words and actions, perhaps he wants to pre-empt the church from joining the opposition-led protests by distracting it with an issue that no religious leader can afford to ignore.

Alternatively, perhaps Duterte wants the public to focus on his “preaching” against Catholic doctrine instead of the rising number of murdered priests across the country, which has been raising eyebrows both at home and abroad.

Whatever Duterte’s intentions may be, his rhetoric is having an impact and is showing signs of generating a blowback. To take one example, his provocative statements led the powerful Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to release a pastoral exhortation, which tackled not only the criticisms spewed out by the president but also some of the controversial issues hounding the government.

Although the statement downplayed the impact of Duterte’s comments against the church by highlighting the greater suffering of the poor, it went on to enumerate some of the human rights violations committed under the Duterte administration. This included extrajudicial killings allegedly perpetrated by state forces, the bloody legacy of the anti-drug campaign, and the plight of indigenous peoples.

To be sure, despite the religious group’s critical review of the country’s current situation, it denied the accusation by the president’s supporters that the church is supporting efforts to “destabilize” the government. It noted that the church was not involved in the “establishment of any earthly kingdoms,” and went on to note that it continues to adhere to the doctrine of the separation of church and state but would invoke its “right to conscientious objection” where this was needed.

The CBCP statement is unlikely to appease authorities, who are fearful that the church might join forces with groups calling for Duterte’s ouster. While there is the reaffirmation of the church’s backing of the separation of church and state, the statement also affirms the neutrality of the church as long as the state is not committing actions that contradict “respect for the sacredness of life, the integrity of creation, and the inherent dignity of the human person.”

Furthermore, irrespective of the church’s own involvement, religion in the Philippines has been so intertwined in the country’s politics that it is difficult to envision Christians entirely separating their religious views from political opinions. This is particularly acute given the divisiveness that some of the Duterte administration’s positions have generated across a range of issues, from the rise of extrajudicial killings to the expansion of large-scale mining. These issues stand as clear examples of the Duterte government undermining the moral principles of the church.

Perhaps the Duterte government should also worry that the strongly-worded CBCP statement was signed by Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, a friend and supporter of the president. That fact speaks to a broader issue where some of the president’s supporters have begun to peel off over time as he gets further into his single six-year term and shows few signs of backing away from his more controversial policies.

Irrespective of how all of this plays out with time, what is clear is that Duterte has instigated an ill-conceived conflict with the church, which appears to be generating a response that could eventually cost him politically. Some observers have pointed out that the CBCP statement, beyond outlining the church’s role on political matters, is also more broadly an appeal or guide to the faithful since it enumerates the various controversies besieging the Duterte government.

Duterte may once again publicly attack the doctrines of the Catholic Church should these signs of opposition show indications of snowballing. His subordinates, however, ought to try to control his outbursts. While church leaders are for now responding to Duterte’s rants through pastoral statements, who knows how else they could mobilize to defend their deeply held religious beliefs as he gets further into his term?