Malacañang on Friday issued a statement calling for the reprimand of a Catholic bishop who claimed that certain groups were already gearing up for President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s ouster.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda hit Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos, whom he described as someone apparently “ignorant of the virtues of charity, humility and prudence.”
“[He] fires from the hip, armed with a fanciful imagination and utterly without any effort to discern the truth,” Lacierda said.
Pueblos earlier lambasted Aquino in a radio interview, saying he doesn’t deserve to be President. Pueblos was also quoted as saying in a report that “there are groups that are actually preparing for his ouster.”
Pueblos is perceived as close to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Lacierda said Pueblos “deserves to be rebuked in the strongest terms for being a longstanding advocate of impunity,” which he said started when Pueblos opposed attempts by the CBCP “to discern the moral culpability of former President Arroyo” for “Hello Garci.”
The presidential spokesman also urged the prelate to refer to a doctrine which prohibits members of the Church to “set forth political solutions.”
