Pamimintas ni Du30 sa pagdiriwang ng Undas biro lang-Palasyo

IPINAGTANGGOL ng Palasyo ang naging pahayag ni Pangulong Duterte sa pagdiriwang ng All Saints’ Day at All Souls’ Day, matapos naman niya itong pagtawanan.

Sa isang pahayag, iginiit ni Presidential Spokesperson at Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo na nagbibiro lamang si Durterte.

“A joke is a joke and the same does not require an explanation. Nor should it be given as a religious slight,” sabi ni Panelo.

Sa kanyang pahayag matapos bumisita sa Isabela, na isa sa mga nasalanta ng bagyong Rosita noong Nobyembre 1, tinawag pa ni Duterte na lasenggo ang mga santo at sinabi na si “Santo Rodrigo” na lamang ang sambahin, na ang tinutukoy ay kanyang ang sarili.

“The reporters covering the event and the audience (mostly if not all, were Catholics) before whom the utterances were made knew that the President was only making light of a serious situation briefing on the damage wrought by typhoon Rosita, and the fact that they burst into laughter showed that they were not offended by what the good Bishop and a few critics perceived to be an offensive religious statement against the celebration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day,” giit ni Panelo.

Idinagdag ni Panelo na hindi dapat sineryoso ang pahayag ni Duteter.

“Hence, PRRD’s remarks should not be viewed beyond the description of the reporters covering the event. Actions should be given more weight than the spoken words when one ascertains the true attributes of a person for certainly actions speak louder than words,” ayon pa kay Panelo.

Sinabi pa ni Panelo na dinalaw pa ni Duterte ang puntod ng kanyang mga magulang sa Davao City bilang katunayan ng kanyang paniniwala sa Undas.

” The President visited his parents’ tombs in Davao City last Thursday coming straight from the Isabela situation briefing. Immediately prior to ending the said briefing, the President made the parting words: ‘We all have our obligations to the dead. It’s practically part of the culture but more than that, it’s something that is very important for us to commune with our ancestors,’” giit pa ni Panelo.

Nauna nang binatikos ng Simbahang ang panibagong kontrobersiyal na pahayag ni Duterte.

“The strength and credibility of a religious faith that has been there for more than two thousand years and survived wars and internecine cannot be affected by what some deem as an assault by non-believers nor will its faithfuls be offended by any playful jab on its saints. Christianity, or any major religion that preceded it, will always survive the test of time,” ayon pa kay Panelo.