MANILA — There were many possible motives behind the killing of Father Mark Anthony Ventura last April 29 but the “strongest” one is a love triangle, President Rodrigo R. Duterte bared.
Reading from a document, Duterte said the police are looking at various motives that lead to Ventura’s killing such as political reasons and his advocacy to stop black sand mining.
However, Duterte said that his illicit affairs with women who were married to politicians, businessmen, traders among others was what led him to his death.
“So ‘yun ang… Pero ang strongest is actually babae (So those are….But the strongest is actually women),” Duterte said in a speech during the National Science and Technology Week celebration in Davao City last Friday.
“Analysis: There is a big possibility that the first motive, the love triangle, is the main reason why Fr. Mark Anthony Ventura was killed by a still unidentified suspect because of so many women who were believed to be linked to him,” he added.
Duterte, however, acknowledged that Ventura “was a very kind person, accommodating, independent and a strong character” despite being “a heavy beer drinker and alleged to be a womanizer.”
Earlier, Duterte said his administration has no policy of hatred towards religious leaders, particularly Catholic priests.
“We have no policy of hatred against priests. Nothing of that sort. As a matter of fact, we respect the Church,” Duterte said in an earlier speech, denying that his administration is provoking hatred and violence against the clergymen.
Malacañang earlier denounced the murder of Ventura and other Catholic priests and vowed to prosecute those responsible for the killings.
“We condemn all killings and I assure you that the government is taking steps to fulfill its responsibility to investigate, try and punish the killers,” Roque said. (PNA)
