Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has lashed back at the country’s Catholic bishops for their criticism of vigilante violence.Referring to the bishops as “annoying SOBs,” Duterte defended his aggressive campaign against drug trafficking.
The president has refused to rein in death squads that have reportedly killed as many as 3,000 accused drug dealers since Duterte took office.
Duterte singled out one prelate, retired Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao, charging that the archbishop had a mistress.
Archbishop Capalla had issued a statement last week pleading with Duterte to listen to his critics and to stop making public promises to kill drug dealers.
The archbishop had criticized vigilante justice in Davao for years before Duterte’s emergence.