BULACAN - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday pilloried Catholic Church leaders again, saying they are better off dead.

"Holdupin ninyo ‘yung obispo ninyo, maraming pera ‘yan. Pagka lumaban, patayin mo. Maglibing tayo ng obispo. Maniwala ka diyan mga ‘yan. Puro may asawa," he said in his speech during the proclamation rally of ruling party PDP-Laban.

The President criticized again the Church, saying it is the most hypocritical institution in the Philippines.

He said members of the Catholic clergy used the pulpit to criticize him.

"P***** i**** pari magsabi, 'Mamatay sana si Duterte.' What kind of a s*** is that?" he said.

Duterte also retold his alleged experience at a Catholic school wherein he was allegedly molested when he was still a minor.

"‘Di ba Friday mass ‘yan, may misa talaga tapos communion, confession. Doon kami hinihipo.... Lahat kami sa totoo lang. Hindi ako magsabi ng ganun kung hindi totoo sa karami namin," he said.

The President routinely vilifies the Church and its teachings in his speeches since he assumed the presidency.

In light of Duterte's continuous tirades, the Palace had formed a team to hold a dialogue with the Catholic Church, but no progress was achieved.

Under the Duterte administration, several priests have been killed by unknown assailants. Among them were Fathers Marcelito Paez, Richmond Nilo, and Mark Anthony Ventura. - with a report from Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News