News analysis

Duterte's clash with Church splits nation

President's remarks on religion stoke anger even as Catholic leaders oppose his policies

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President Rodrigo Duterte's increasingly heated war of words with the Catholic Church is driving a wedge into the Philippine's largely Catholic population, sparking fierce debates on matters of faith and politics.

Mr Duterte - who is not known to mince words when he's on the podium before a large, cheering crowd - last week stoked public anger when he called God "stupid" and questioned the logic behind the Christian concept of original sin.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 07, 2018, with the headline Duterte's clash with Church splits nation. Subscribe