MANILA, Philippines – The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) congratulated Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Tuesday, October 8, after Pope Francis named him one of 21 new cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church.

The 60-year-old NCCP, the largest alliance of mainline Protestant and non-Roman Catholic churches in the country, cited David’s defense of victims of then-president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs 

“The new cardinal, Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David, has proven to be a true shepherd and leader, standing up for the rights and dignity of the poor and marginalized during a time when the ‘war on drugs’ campaign victimized countless innocent people. Bishop David has consistently defended the principles of human rights and due process, even in the face of fierce opposition and threat,” said the NCCP in a statement on Tuesday.

“We pray that Cardinal-elect Pablo Virgilio David will continue his staunch advocacy for the poor and marginalized in society. May his time as a cardinal serve as a powerful representation of the God of justice and compassion and as an inspiration to all people,” the group added.

Founded in 1963, the council includes 10 member-churches, including the prominent Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan Church, whose bishops were red-tagged under Duterte.

The NCCP was also one of the staunchest critics of the Duterte drug war.

The defense of human rights is not the only common denominator between David and the NCCP.

David, 65, has also pushed for friendly ties between different religions and even among different Christian churches. He brought up this topic in an interview with Vatican News on Saturday, October 5, on the sidelines of the Vatican’s historic Synod on Synodality, a monthlong summit to chart the future of the Roman Catholic Church.

“We bring our voices also into the synod to make sure that we remain open to intercultural, interreligious dialogue,” David said.

“I think we’re finding spaces to be able to collaborate, to be able to walk with people of other faiths, other religions, other denominations within Christianity, to be able to work together for social justice for the poorest of the poor, for human rights, for the integrity of Creation. These are concerns that are foremost among the Asian people,” he added. – Rappler.com