Pope Francis Daily

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said his country’s Catholic bishops are “useless fools” and should be “killed”, the latest attack by the controversial leader on the church, which has opposed his deadly war on drugs.

In a speech at the presidential palace on Wednesday, Duterte was quoted in local news reports as saying in a mix of Filipino and English: “These bishops that you guys have, kill them. They are useless fools. All they do is criticise.”

Addressing government officials later in the day, Duterte blasted the Catholic Church again, calling it “the most hypocritical institution” and saying his God is different from the one Catholics worship.