During the Senate hearing called by Senator Imee Marcos, Senator Allan Peter Cayetano did not just defend former President Rodrigo Duterte; he invoked the name of the Lord to justify his stance.
Declaring himself an “Ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he implied that his words were not his own but came directly from God. This is not only blasphemy against faith but also a mockery of justice itself. And worse, it is the height of hypocrisy.
The hearing was convened to investigate alleged legal violations in the possible arrest of Duterte, who has repeatedly admitted to ordering killings and personally carrying out murders as part of his bloody war on drugs.
That campaign resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings, many of which involved not just suspected drug users but also innocent civilians, activists, and government critics.
Instead of acknowledging these grave human rights abuses, Cayetano used his position to shield Duterte—a move that was neither unexpected nor surprising, given his history of diehard loyalty to the former president.
But what makes Cayetano’s statement even more disturbing is his claim that an ambassador does not speak his own opinion but speaks for his principal.
In other words, he was suggesting that his words were not his but Christ’s. This raises a deeply troubling question: Does Cayetano truly believe that defending a leader who has openly admitted to ordering extrajudicial killings is in line with the teachings of Jesus?
Height of hypocrisy
Cayetano’s use of religious rhetoric is not just blasphemous—it is hypocritical at its core. He presents himself as a messenger of Christ, yet he stands in defense of a man whose policies led to mass killings, rampant abuses, and violations of human dignity.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches love, compassion, and justice—not murder, impunity, and deception.
If Cayetano were truly an ambassador of Christ, he would be standing for truth, justice, and the protection of the innocent—not aligning himself with power to justify lawlessness.
Instead, he twists faith into a political weapon to shield a leader who has trampled on human rights. This is not Christian leadership; this is political opportunism disguised as faith.
It is a dangerous precedent when politicians use religion not as a moral compass but as a shield for impunity. It sends the message that faith can be manipulated to excuse even the gravest of crimes.
This is not just blasphemy; it is the peak of hypocrisy. Cayetano does not represent the Gospel of love and justice. Instead, he uses God’s name to whitewash the crimes of those in power.
Bishop Antonio Ablon of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church) is presently the Chaplain of St. Catherine’s Anglican Chaplaincy in Stuttgart, Germany of the Diocese in Europe, Church of England. He is a former chaplain to the seafarers in Hamburg, Germany and Bishop of IFI Pagadian. The Philippine Independent Church is a member of the global communion of the Anglican Church. Bishop Ablon is one of the most persecuted church leaders in the Philippines. In 2021, the German government officially granted him asylum.
