The Philippine National Police should intensify its intelligence operation following the death threats received by Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, Senator Nancy Binay said Thursday.
Binay said the police should start determining where the threats against David were coming from.
“Siguro baka maganda rin na ‘yung pulis natin maghigpit at galingan nila dahil ang laki ng intel fund na binibigay natin sa kanila,” Binay said during the Kapihan sa Senado news forum.
“So sana gamitin natin para malaman saan talaga nanggagaling ang pananakot kay Bishop David.” added.
Binay did not say how much was the PNP’s intelligence fund.
In other developments:
• Malacañang on Thursday blamed the political opposition and the critics of the administration for the alleged death threats being received by Catholic bishops and priests.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Palace will not take the blame even as two opposition senators already believe that the supposed threats against clergymen stemmed from President Rodrigo Duterte’s rhetoric in December 2018.
• In a statement, Senator Leila de Lima blamed Duterte for the death threats received by David, saying the Catholic clergy had never been threatened by anyone until Duterte said they were better off dead.
• Senator Risa Hontiveros said the threats were the result of the President’s “encouragement of violence” through his speeches, adding that his sudden turnaround will not absolve him of his role.
David, vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and a critic of the Duterte administration’s war against drugs, said he had received death threats from unknown sources
in the past two weeks.
Duterte earlier said his former Special Assistant Bong Go received a text message from Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle stating that some Catholic officials and priests were receiving threats from “someone who claims to be working for the President’s family.”
Duterte has already appealed to the public to spare religious leaders from harassment, even as he had previously hurled attacks against the Church.
Binay said whoever was threatening David should heed the call of the President.