A Roman Catholic priest has called on Filipinos to reflect on their faith in the wake of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest, questioning how violence has become acceptable to many.

Father Flavie Villanueva of the Society of the Divine Word urged Catholics to embrace a Christ-centered faith rooted in discernment rather than one that condones extrajudicial killings and other forms of violence.

“I appeal to everyone to return to a discerning faith,” said Villanueva, who has long supported families of victims killed in Duterte’s drug war.

He challenged Filipinos, particularly Catholics, to critically assess how they had come to tolerate the thousands of deaths under Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

“Let us reflect on why we allowed ourselves to tolerate killings. In what part of the Bible or our faith does God permit or rejoice in killings?” he asked.

Duterte, the chief architect of the country’s controversial war on drugs, was arrested on March 11 upon his arrival at Manila’s international airport. 

His arrest followed an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant issued in connection with its ongoing investigation into his administration’s bloody drug war.

Human rights groups, including the women’s rights organization GABRIELA, welcomed Duterte’s arrest, calling it a significant step toward justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings and alleged crimes against humanity.

Villanueva stressed the need for Filipinos to reassess their beliefs and reject any justification for violence.

“Let us continue to search deeply, seriously, and critically the faith that we are living because what I know about real faith is that it celebrates goodness and detests all forms of evil,” he said.

Villanueva has been a vocal advocate for human rights, particularly through his “Paghilom” program, which provides support for families grieving the loss of loved ones to extrajudicial killings. 

In recognition of his efforts, he became the first Filipino to receive the Human Rights Tulip Award from the Netherlands Embassy in Manila in 2021.