MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the Catholic Church would “disappear” in 25 years, as he again hit the clergy’s alleged abuses.

“Itong Katoliko na ito will disappear. In almost 25 years wala na ‘yan,” Duterte said during his speech at the 1st National Assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas in Pasay City.

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The President said people would eventually forget about the Catholic Church because of the alleged abuses of its clergy.

“Hindi na makalimutan ng tao ‘yung — ito pala ang Katoliko. ‘Pag inabot ng libog, madre. Kung ang mga bakla ang p***** i** niya, mga bata. Who needs a religion like that? Tapos sige ka pa bigay kada Linggo ihatid pala niya sa kabit niya,” he said.

[People won’t forget the ways of the Catholic clergy. When they get horny, the sons of bitches, they go after nuns. If they’re gay, they go after young boys. Who needs a religion like that? And then you keep giving to the collection and then the priest will just give it to his mistress.]

In the same speech, the President told the public, however, not to take seriously his remarks to kill and steal from bishops and priests.

READ: About-face: Duterte now says ‘Don’t kill bishops, priests’

“What I can say about that is this: My quarrel with the Catholic Church is personal. You, who are drug addicts, don’t harm bishops and cardinals because they are not involved in the political ruckus,” he said in Filipino.

The Catholic Church has earned the President’s ire for criticizing his war on drugs and his brutal anti-criminality campaign. /atm

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