Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, the Bishop of Kalookan, Philippines, is known for his concern for social justice and outreach to the poor, his disdain for the “triumphalism” of Christendom, as well as for his outspoken criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Commonly known as “Bishop Ambo,” David was born on March 2, 1959, in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga. He is the tenth of thirteen children in his family and the son of a lawyer.

Cardinal David entered the Mother of Good Counsel Minor Seminary in Pampanga at the age of eleven, following a spiritual calling. He pursued higher education abroad, spending a year at the École Biblique in Jerusalem and five years at the Flemish campus of the University of Leuven in Belgium, where he earned his doctoral degree with highest honors, specializing in hermeneutics and the Old Testament.

Throughout his career, David has held numerous positions within the Catholic Church. He served as a parochial vicar, lecturer, formator, and professor at various institutions. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Titular Bishop of Guardialfiera and Auxiliary of San Fernando. In September, 2015, Pope Francis appointed him as the Bishop of the Diocese of Kalookan.

David has taken on significant leadership roles within the Catholic Church. He was elected President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in 202.  In February 2024, he was elected as the next Vice President of the Federation of Bishops Conferences of Asia (FABC), with his term set to begin in 2025.

Pope Francis elevated him to the cardinalate on December 7, 2024.

Cardinal David is known for his efforts to bring the Church closer to marginalized communities. In Kalookan, he established 21 urban mission stations in poor areas to accompany, protect, and empower communities affected by extrajudicial killings. He is also recognized for his scholarly work in biblical studies and his ability to communicate effectively in multiple languages.

David gained significant attention for his vocal opposition to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs.” His criticism of the government’s approach, which human rights organizations denounced for leading to thousands of extrajudicial killings, made him a target of threats. Despite these challenges, Cardinal David has remained committed to his advocacy for human rights and social justice.

The Filipino cardinal offers a “Filipino and Asian perspective” on approaching people with same-sex attraction, and wishes to view all persons as human beings first rather than labeling them based on gender, sexuality, and other characteristics. He draws parallels to Jesus’ approach of socializing with all people, regardless of their reputation or status.

He was supportive of Fiducia Supplicans, saying he believed it “speaks for itself” and does not require much explanation. It is, he said, “sufficient to guide the prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers in this regard.”  David went on to stress that the blessing should not be confused with marriage and that it doesn’t change the Church’s doctrine on marriage.

Cardinal David is a strong proponent of synodality in the Church. He views it as a way to empower others, particularly the laity, in the mission of the Church. He believes that synodality can help alleviate the burden on priests by promoting shared responsibility and collaboration. David sees synodality as a means to foster communion and participation among priests and bishops, and as a way to practice communal discernment.

Throughout his career, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David has demonstrated a commitment to social justice, scholarship, and pastoral care. He has also made several recent controversial statements against traditional Catholicism and Christendom.

In a homily on December 3, 2024, at the consecration of a bishop shortly before David was elevated to the cardinalate, he suggested that the Eucharist should be given to everyone, including grave sinners, implied that Jesus gave the Eucharist to Judas as a sign of forgiveness, and described Christianity as “never meant only for the holy and deserving.” Similar to Pope Francis’ statements on the Eucharist, he said it is “not an exclusive meal for the righteous but a body broken for broken people.”

David has written fairly extensively in defense of Judas, stressing that Jesus personally chose him as one of the twelve apostles¹”Some people forget that Judas was chosen personally by Jesus to be one of the twelve pillars of the Church!” he said. He argued that Judas repented and attempted to return the money before taking his own life, and interpreted the phrase “Satan had entered into Judas” as a merciful explanation, suggesting Judas was not himself during the betrayal. In his December 2024 homily, David also referred to St. Mary Magdalene and other women of that time as having to “struggle with the sexist attitudes of these androcentric, patriarchal male disciples who wouldn’t trust their testimony just because they were women.”

In response to criticism of his words on Judas, the cardinal said his stated purpose in trying to rehabilitate Judas was to draw attention to a “condemnatory attitude” that he believes is “very unchristian,” adding that condemning the sin of Judas and condemning Judas “are two entirely different things.” He added: “There is something terribly wrong about Christians rushing too quickly into judgment, condemning people they regard as sinners, as if they were God. It sends shivers to my spine.”

In a 2020 homily, David revealed he is not in favor of the traditional reason and interpretation of the Feast of Christ the King. He criticized the tendency to portray Christ’s kingship in what he called “worldly” terms, such as building grand cathedrals and using royal symbols. He highlighted Pope Francis’ efforts to remove such “triumphalism,” choosing simpler attire and living quarters. The true meaning of Christ’s kingship, he argued, is that Jesus’ kingdom is “not of this world” but is about serving others and upending worldly power structures, and that Christ identified with the marginalized: the hungry, homeless, sick, and captives.

Cardinal David has also expressed his disdain for the kingship of priests and bishops and such trappings as a bishop’s palace and “lavish vestments,” implying that they foster clericalism. “If the Pope’s and bishops acted like that then priests would surely imitate them. They would make their parishes little kingdoms,” he said. He lamented that such an approach is “being revived today – in very elaborate and lavish vestments filled with embellishments, in richly-decorated churches with retablos that seem to be totally covered in gold leaf that shout in luxury. And they make the cathedra look like a real throne.”

He claimed that Satan wants to abort the work of making Jesus present in the world by “deceiving us” and “confusing us” by “instilling in us all the triumphalism, the delusion of grandeur, the desire to build an empire for Christendom.” In the past and perhaps even up to the present, he continued, “some ecclesiastical authorities, including popes and cardinals and bishops have built cathedrals looking like palaces, and seated themselves on chairs looking like thrones, wearing miters looking like crowns, trying desperately to mimic worldly kings. They think that is how we should honor Christ the king; they end up dishonoring him instead.”

In another post on Facebook in October 2024, Cardinal David again stressed simplicity over grandeur, this time regarding ecclesiastical titles. He argued that such forms of address as “Your Eminence” or “Your Excellency” are outdated, and suggested using “Father,” “Bishop,” and “Cardinal” instead as they are expressions of relationship.

Cardinal David is a polyglot, fluent in several languages. He speaks Kapampangan, Filipino, English, French, Flemish, German, Italian, and Spanish, and knows Latin, Greek, and Aramaic.