MANILA - Catholic bishops said Monday their warning over a "reign of terror" as President Rodrigo Duterte waged war on illegal drugs was directed at the people, not government.

With the pastoral letter, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines seeks to awaken Catholics who could be "losing values," said Manila Auxillary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, who chairs the group's episcopal commission.

"This is educating the people about values... don't lose those values. The values of life, innocence until guilt is proven and that end does not justify the means," Pabillo said.

"Ito ay panawagan sa lahat ng Katoliko," he added.

(This is a call to all Catholics.)

The pastoral letter was read at some masses over the weekend.

"An even greater cause of concern is the indifference of many to this kind of wrong. It is considered as normal, and, even worse, something that (according to them) needs to be done," the bishops said in the letter.

Malacañang on Sunday said Church leaders were "out of touch" with the faithful, who now feel a "reign of peace."

The Duterte administration should also not be offended by the pastoral letter unless they are behind reported killings, Pabillo said.

Pabillo's pronouncements were in contrast to the opinion given by Hajji Moh'd Ersaid "Bebot" Malli, administrator of the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center.

"We are in sympathy to the programs of the government... ngayon we feel safe (we feel safe now)," Malli said.

Malli said the deaths could be considered as collateral damage of the President's campaign.