There are many underlying motivations. The first is regionalism. Many priests from Mindanao – especially the Davao provinces – instinctively supported him (“Ato ni Bay” – he is ours). When the Diocesan Clergy of Mindanao held their annual gathering in Davao a year before the elections, Duterte was invited as a guest speaker. It didn’t surprise me to learn later on that many diocesan priests supported him. Regionalism is part of the Philippine political culture and priests who lack critical faculty can be influenced by this. My classmate who told me that he voted for Duterte after a process of discernment was most likely influenced by regionalism rather than the Holy Spirit. My Redemptorist confrere who told me to my face that he was voting for Duterte also came from Davao.
Another factor is ideological. Many of the progressive priests and religious supported Duterte’s candidacy. He had a reputation of being a friend and ally of the left even as mayor of Davao. During the campaign period he announced that he would be the first leftist president. He promised to establish a coalition government with the left and even a revolutionary government. A progressive association of religious sisters once invited him to be their guest speaker during an annual assembly in Davao. The progressive clergy and religious believed that Duterte can finally come up with a peace agreement with the NDF and that he could fulfil their dream of changing Philippine society radically. This is the same reason why the revolutionary left led by the CPP and NDF supported Duterte. They were filled with euphoria when Duterte appointed four leftists to the cabinet, released political prisoners and resumed the peace process. Regret would come later.
There are other underlying reasons why priests and religious supported Duterte. A university president who is a religious priest believed in Duterte’s political will to bring about change and progress in the country especially in Mindanao. When reminded about the extrajudicial killings he used the argument of the common good as part of the equation. Many other priests and religious have used this reason. They believed that only a strongman like Duterte can save and change Philippine society – Pagbabago.
Whatever their motivation, the support of many priests and religious for Duterte may have helped create the bandwagon effect. By expressing their support through social media (selfies with fist bumps, ballers, caps, etc.) they were able to influence others (especially pious lay people) to throw their support behind Duterte’s candidacy. They were like shepherds leading their flock to follow the big bad wolf. This could explain why many either defended him or remained silent as the president’s incompetence and brutality became more apparent even if he continued to attack the Church.
A time of accounting will come – what happened after the Hitler/Nazi era. We will never forget those who helped bring into power a brutal incompetent autocrat with messianic pretensions and kept him in power. Priests and religious will not be exempted from this reckoning. This is part of the shameful episode in the history of this country and the Church which cannot be glossed over or covered up.
It is not too late to make amends. What is important is to admit and learn from their mistakes. There are some who have already redeemed themselves after realizing their error. They rediscovered their prophetic voice – they spoke out against extrajudicial killings, denounced human rights violations, helped provide sanctuary to witnesses, provided aid for the victims of the incompetence of leaders in time of the pandemic, etc. I hope that in the remaining two years there will be more priests and religious who will act as courageous prophets and good shepherds, who will protect their flock from the wolves.
A time will come when those who dedicated their life to God and His people will have to answer: whose side were you? There is no room for neutrality in the struggle between good and evil.
