'True Face of Evil' Homily Goes Viral as Election Fever Heats Up

PSA to the faithful from the Manila Cathedral.

by Pia Regalado

Photo/s: Screengrab/Manila Cathedral

The vice rector of the Philippines' mother church, the Manila Cathedral, has gone viral on social media for asking a nation gripped in election drama: What is "true evil"?

The video of Fr. Kali Pietre Llamado's homily on the evening of Dec. 31 has been viewed 37,000 times on Facebook as of Wednesday. Snippets of which are also circulating on Twitter.

"Not the ghosts, not the witches, they are made up stories. True evil is seen in corruption, in 'fake news', in extrajudicial killing. That is the true face of evil. Nakalimutan na natin ang tunay na kuwento ng totoong mga diablo," he told his audience.

"Ang totoong mga diablo ay 'yung mga pumapatay ng tao, nagnanakaw ng kaban ng bayan, at nagpapakalat ng kasinungalingan. Sila ang mga diablo."

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He pointed out how some people support the corrupt and the murderers, adding that these people "have forgotten the true face of evil."

"Kaya lang ngayon nakakalungkot, ang diablo ay ginawa na lang nating costume, ginawa na lang nating horror story. Kaya nga ngayon ang mga tao, takot sa multo, takot sa sawang, pero pinapalakpakan ang pumapatay ng tao, suportado ang mga sinungaling at magnanakaw. Hindi ba nakakatawa 'yun?"

On a lighter note, Llamado told the flock not to be afraid because there are still "the holy ones," quoting Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.

"Mapalad ang mga taong gumagawa ng kapayapaan at maawain. Sila 'yung mga taong hindi nagmumura sa social media, sila 'yung mga taong hindi gumagamit ng masamang salita para siraan ang isa't isa. Sasabihin nila, pipiliin ko magiging mabuti at banal kaysa sumali sa mga trolls at 'fake news' sa social media. Ito ang mga banal."

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