“My God is a forgiving one,” President Duterte said yesterday in Panglao, Bohol to hit back at his detractors who are condemning him for his recent remarks against God and the Catholic religion.

Mr. Duterte, in a meeting with vice mayors of the province, stressed since “God is personal” for him, he need not apologize for what he previously stated.

“No, I will not do that definitely. Not in the million years,” Duterte said.

Duterte said he has a deep and abiding faith in God.

“We have different deities. My God, on my belief, depends on my values. It’s not from the textbook,” Duterte said.

In a speech last June 22, Mr. Duterte ranted about God and Catholic beliefs saying it was stupid for God to have created “original sin.”

“You know, God is personal. It is not formed in textbooks. You nurture God as your faith based on the values that you get from life, early on from your parents. That is how you conceived God to be,” he added.

Mr. Duterte spoke about his faith in God, recalling events when he was young.

“In the past, in our place, there was no other person more religious than me,” Duterte said, extending his arms as if going to embrace someone.

He also spoke on where his faith came from, stating that his mother Soledad was a Maranao, and his father, former Davao Governor Vicente Duterte, was a Catholic.

“Eh kung yun ang gusto ng lolo ko, eh. ‘Yung Chinese (But that’s what my grandfather wants (Catholicism). The Chinese one),” he said, refering to his maternal grandfather.

Duterte said it was his grandfather who insisted on his becoming a Catholic.

In connection with the issue, Malacañang welcomed Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle’s statement urging Catholics to respect the views of those who do not share their beliefs.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. emphasized even President Rodrigo Roa Duterte should be afforded the same religious freedom where he allows all Filipinos to enjoy.

“We have differing beliefs and we should respect those differences,” Roque said.

Roque also announced the designation of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr. as the fourth member of a committee formed by Duterte to hold dialogues with religious leaders.

“I suppose his contribution is because he is an ex-priest himself and he is familiar with the dogma of the Catholic Church,” said Roque who leads the four-man team.

The two other members of the committee are Pastor Boy Saycon and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella, himself a former pastor.

Roque said the government wants to foster better cooperation with churches against their shared drive against corruption, illegal drugs and poverty.

“The President really expected better working relations with the Catholic Church. He is against divorce, he is against abortion, he is against same-sex marriage,” Roque said.

“They seem to agree on what used to be contentious issues between [the Church] and the State,” added Roque. “We are still looking forward to this kind of cooperation,” he added.

Roque brushed aside talks about religious groups trying to destabilize the government to oust Duterte.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, meanwhile, called on Duterte to apologize.

“The issue is not about Duterte’s freedom of expression or his freedom to choose his faith. The issue is about Duterte’s gross disrespect and mockery of the Filipino Christians’ faith,” Trillanes said.

“Duterte created this mess, unprovoked. For that, he needs to publicly apologize with total sincerity,” Trillanes said. “It is simply indefensible. Duterte and his propaganda team must not be allowed to spin or twist this issue.”