Duterte is not a bully - Malacañang
Published Dec 18, 2018 02:38 pm
By Roy Mabasa
President Rodrigo Duterte does not bully people.
This was the curt reply of Presidential Legal Counsel and Spokesperson Salvador Panelo to a question on whether the President felt alluded to when Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle earlier said that power should not be used to bully others.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) “He (Duterte) expresses his sentiment on a particular matter, situation. He expresses dislike and he explains it. He threatens criminals, yes, to make them feel threatened and stop doing their criminal acts,” Panelo said on Tuesday in Malacanang. In his homily at the start of the nine-day ‘Simbang Gabi’ or early dawn mass on Sunday, Tagle said: “Do not bully anyone. Do not use your power to disrespect others. Do not use your power to coerce others.” While the Palace spokesperson agreed with the Cardinal’s statement against bullying, he, however, bullying may also come from the pulpit. “I agree. But whom does he refer to? Because those in power would also apply to those in the Church. You use the pulpit for bullying people, then it’s the same. If the message is in the generic or general term, then I agree. You cannot be using power to bully or to coerce people. The President is against that too,” he said. While the head of the country’s dominant religion did not mention any particular name in his homily, critics said Tagle may have been referring to President Duterte who has been critical against the Catholic bishops and priests as well as questioning certain dogmas and practices of the Church. “Just because you are in power, you already have the right to trample upon others. In truth, the bully, he who uses power to belittle his fellow man, he is the one who is most afraid and insecure,” Tagle said in his message which, according to him, was inspired by the advice of St. Paul on how to achieve happiness and to not belittle others.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) “He (Duterte) expresses his sentiment on a particular matter, situation. He expresses dislike and he explains it. He threatens criminals, yes, to make them feel threatened and stop doing their criminal acts,” Panelo said on Tuesday in Malacanang. In his homily at the start of the nine-day ‘Simbang Gabi’ or early dawn mass on Sunday, Tagle said: “Do not bully anyone. Do not use your power to disrespect others. Do not use your power to coerce others.” While the Palace spokesperson agreed with the Cardinal’s statement against bullying, he, however, bullying may also come from the pulpit. “I agree. But whom does he refer to? Because those in power would also apply to those in the Church. You use the pulpit for bullying people, then it’s the same. If the message is in the generic or general term, then I agree. You cannot be using power to bully or to coerce people. The President is against that too,” he said. While the head of the country’s dominant religion did not mention any particular name in his homily, critics said Tagle may have been referring to President Duterte who has been critical against the Catholic bishops and priests as well as questioning certain dogmas and practices of the Church. “Just because you are in power, you already have the right to trample upon others. In truth, the bully, he who uses power to belittle his fellow man, he is the one who is most afraid and insecure,” Tagle said in his message which, according to him, was inspired by the advice of St. Paul on how to achieve happiness and to not belittle others.