Duterte Diehard Supporters had circulated online posters calling it the “Bring Him Home” mass. The qualifying line made it even worse for the Archdiocese of Davao – “a church mass to pray for the safe return of former president Rodrigo Duterte, March 11, 2026, 12 noon, San Pedro Cathedral, Davao City.”
There was no effort from the Archdiocese of Davao to correct it. That Duterte can be brought home is of course fake news. “Bring Him Home” is simply a central rallying cry to weaponize Duterte’s “victimhood” for popularity instead of being a subject of criminal accountability.
The only truth is that Duterte cannot be brought home. The only way that can happen is his acquittal in the International Criminal Court. Even conviction cannot bring him home.
Validating the DDS agenda to “bring him home” has effectively made Archbishop Romulo Valles and the entire archdiocesan clergy as purveyors of fake news. By allowing a skewed political agenda within the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is an open defiance of church canon law.
There are two things that the Davao archbishop and partisan members of his clergy are guilty of. Calling the attention of the Papal Nuncio.
Fake news should be denounced by Catholic priests in their homilies because it poses a significant spiritual and moral threat, often functioning as a form of deception that undermines trust, causes division, and violates the eighth commandment. No such denunciation happened in the homily of Archbishop Valles.
Priests must address fake news in their homilies because it violates the eighth commandment. Is there a failure of catechesis in the Archdiocese of Davao?
Spreading fabricated stories or misinformation is a violation of the commandment “Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” as it often slanders others, sows division, and destroys reputation. The Duterte troll machinery that spews the venom of fake news is well founded even as early as 2016.
Pope Francis likened the producers of fake news to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, describing it as a “sly and dangerous form of seduction” that uses distorted information to destroy the social fabric.
Second, has the archdiocese even followed through the pastoral thrust of its predecessor Archbishop Fernando Capalla to denounce extrajudicial killings? It has not. Instead it has even moved away from the interests of the common good towards an open Duterte support.
On November 21, 2001, Capalla released the pastoral letter Thou Shalt Not Kill. He required it to be read in all parish churches of the archdiocese.
Upholding the sanctity of human life is anchored on the foundational Catholic teaching that all human life is sacred and is a gift from God, not the state. Denouncing EJKs is viewed as defending this sanctity, as EJKs involve the intentional taking of human life outside of legal, judicial processes.
Catholic doctrine mandates defending human dignity, especially of the poor and marginalized, who are often the victims of such violence. When individuals are treated as “less than human” and murdered, the Church argues it is not merely political interference, but the protection of people from tyranny and violation of their fundamental rights.
What has the clergy of the Archdiocese of Davao done as catechesis in this regard, if any?
Its partisan act did not end with the mass. It extended to the dining room of the parish convent of San Pedro Cathedral. With Archbishop Valles and some clergy present, Cathedral Rector Msgr. Paul Cuison hosted lunch for Sara Duterte. Video clips of the lunch were even circulated in social media.
Cuison, who could not contain his joy at the sight of Sara arriving, led the opening prayers: “Welcome home! Let us pray: Lord we thank you for this moment, this blessing of the presence of the vice president. We ask you to give her the graces she needs as she journeys to these times, difficult times, as she journeys through life in general. Bless each one here and the food we are going to partake from thy goodness, through Christ our Lord. Welcome! Welcome home!”
The partisanship was shameless. But then again, these priests are not priests in their social media accounts where they are open cheering squad leaders of the Duterte family. One of them is Fr. Russell Bantiles.
What is going on in the Archdiocese of Davao with such a pastoral anomaly? Some say the reason is ethical conflict – many priests turn to the Dutertes for donations.
The archdiocese can avail itself of the public forum to answer such allegations and correct public perceptions. BTW, these perceptions have come from the lay faithful of the archdiocese.
In which case, how can these Davao priests minister to their lay faithful when some of their parishioners are not DDS? Are they even priests at all who must be pastors of all?
The views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of VERA Files.