Philippine Catholic Church to slam ‘reign of terror’ behind war on drugs

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Nearly 80 per cent of the Philippines’ 100 million people are Catholic and, unlike in many other countries where the faith has waned, the majority still practice with enthusiasm. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:43pm, 4 Feb 2017Updated: 10:15pm, 4 Feb 2017

The Philippines’ Catholic Church will assail President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs for creating a “reign of terror” among the poor, in sermons to be read at services across the country this weekend, three church sources told Reuters on Saturday.

Many are killed not because of drugs. Those who kill them are not brought to account

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

In its most strongly worded attack so far on the crackdown on drug pushers and users, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines will say that killing people is not the answer to trafficking of illegal drugs and will voice concern about the indifference of many to the bloodshed.

“An additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs. Those who kill them are not brought to account,” they said in a pastoral letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

More than 7,600 people have been killed since Duterte launched his anti-drugs campaign seven months ago, more than 2,500 in what police say were shoot-outs during raids and sting operations.

Both the government and police have strenuously denied that extrajudicial killings have taken place during the campaigns. The president’s office had no immediate comment on the bishops’ letter.

Beginning with Mass services on Saturday evening, priests will read out the letter signed by the bishops of Asia’s biggest Catholic nation.

Their address will not mention Duterte by name, but will urge “elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests” and call for steps to tackle “rogue policemen and corrupt judges”.