Pablo 'Ambo' David: The Filipino bishop marked for death, cursed by Duterte and now in conclave

Manila: In the years of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal anti-drug campaign, one man stood unwavering against the tide of violence: Bishop Pablo Virgilio "Ambo" David, now a cardinal of the Catholic Church.

He is one of 133 cardinal-electors currently sealed inside the Sistine Chapel, cut off from the outside world — cloaked in silence, prayer, and secrecy — with a chance, however slim, to emerge as the next pope.

Ordained in 1983, David joined protests against the Marcos Sr.'s dictatorship, and later directed his former seminary. From 1986 to 1991, he earned his doctorate from Louvain in Belgium and learnt Aramaic in Jerusalem's Ecole Biblique.

Critic of war on drugs

As bishop, David rose as a fearless critic of Duterte’s brutal war on drugs — a campaign of extrajudicial killings cheered by the millions here (and abroad among overseas Filipinos) as it claimed thousands of lives that drew international condemnation.

One of David’s parishioners was 17-year-old Filipino student named Kian Loyd delos Santos who was fatally shot by police officers conducting an anti-drug operation in Manila. 

As Kian’s family grieved and was shunned by the community, Kian's uncle Randy, a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, was fired from his job due to his association with Kian.

Police "intel" described the delos Santos family as alleged thugs and drug dealers (which Randy later vehemently denied in his Senate testimony).

The case became controversial: official police reports differed from witness accounts and CCTV footage.

[Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) shows Duterte’s "war on drugs” took 7,742 civilian lives — perpetrated by the state and its supporters, higher than the official government own count of 6,000 since 2016, the year Duterte came to power.]

A bishop of the people

Born in 1957 in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga, “Ambo” is the 10th of 13 children, studied at Ateneo, ordained a priest in 1983 and rose through the ranks of the Church hierarchy, eventually becoming the bishop of Kalookan (one of the component cities of Manila ) in 2016. 

This diocese — comprising some of the most impoverished and densely populated urban areas in Metro Manila — was among the hardest hit by Duterte's bloody drug war.

Every week, bodies would appear in the alleys and under the bridges of David’s diocese — many of them young, poor, and voiceless. 

In response, David began documenting the killings, offering sanctuary to families, and speaking out against the abuse of power. 

Refuge

His rectory became a refuge for grieving mothers and orphaned children. His sermons, grounded in both scripture and social justice, pierced through the fog of fear that had settled over the nation.

That’s when he drew Duterte’s ire.

Duterte did not take criticism lightly — especially from the Church, which he accused of hypocrisy and corruption. 

David’s resistance came at a personal cost. He was not only vilified but allegedly marked for death.

In speeches laden with invective, he singled out Bishop David repeatedly. In 2018, Duterte accused him of stealing Church funds and giving it to his family.

Worse, David was marked as a potential drug suspect.

The statement, interpreted by many as a veiled threat, sent shockwaves through the religious and human rights communities.

Days later, Duterte threatened to chop off the head of any bishop who was into drugs. David stopped his nightly routine of praying the rosary while walking around his cathedral.

But undeterred, the Bishop responded with dignity. 

“The threat to my life, I leave to God,” he said, while calling for justice and accountability.

His boldness inspired other religious leaders and laid the foundation for increased resistance from civil society.

From target to Cardinal

Little did then-Bishop David know that Pope Francis had been following his story through the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, particularly news about “bishops in crisis” like him.

He found out in May 2019: during a visit to the Vatican with fellow Filipino bishops, while David was speaking, Francis interrupted him and said: “‘Wait a minute, you are that bishop? I’ve heard so much about what’s happening in your diocese,’” David recalled in a local media interview.

The Pope surprised him again as they were leaving.

David said, “Adios, Santo Padre (Goodbye, Holy Father),” only for the Pope to stop him. “He pulled my hand and he said, ‘Wait a minute, can I bless you?’” David recalled to Rappler.

“My heart was crushed. Can you imagine the Holy Father himself offering to bless you? I will never forget that,” he said.

Head of bishops

In 2022, David was elected president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), further amplifying his voice on national issues. 

His elevation to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis in 2024 was both a recognition of his courage and a signal of Rome’s concern for the Church’s role amid challenges and repression.

Cardinal David’s life now represents both the peril and power of radical love. 

In the face of death threats, smear campaigns, and political persecution, he chose to shepherd the wounded and speak truth to power.

A legacy of courage

As the Philippines continues to reckon with the legacy of Duterte’s war on drugs — now the subject of investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) — Cardinal David stands as a living testament to the challenges of shepherding a flock. 

He reminds the nation that the Church, far from retreating in the face of tyranny, can become a bastion of compassion.

And while the death threats may have faded with Duterte’s presidency, the cardinal’s mission is far from over.

“We are shepherds,” David once said. “We are not supposed to run away when the wolves come.”

As for Trump’s AI photo as pope, David said: “With all due respect to his office and to the American people, we’d like him to know it’s not funny.”