A strong typhoon that barreled through the central Philippines left at least 20 people dead and forced thousands to flee their homes.

A legal group critical of President Duterte, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers, said the allegations "smack of political persecution and shotgun repression on its face using again the legal system as a potent political weapon through the law of rulers."

Five suspected Abu Sayyaf militants accused of involvement in a deadly suicide attack at a Roman Catholic cathedral in the southern Philippines have surrendered to authorities, the national police chief said Monday amid renewed terrorism fears.

More than 800,000 devotees attended a Mass and the first few hours of the procession, national police Director General Oscar Albayalde said.

The U.S. Embassy may revoke Hendrick's passport to help Philippine authorities immediately deport the priest, the immigration bureau said in a statement.

A Roman Catholic priest who was one of the earliest critics of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly crackdown on drugs has gone into hiding due to what he says were signs he's being targeted by motorcycle-riding hitmen.

The Philippine immigration bureau on Thursday ordered the deportation of an Australian nun who has angered the president by joining anti-government rallies, but her lawyers called the move "persecution" and said they would appeal.

Philippine Catholic bishops on Monday called for fasting and prayers after President Rodrigo Duterte called God "stupid" and questioned God's existence in profane remarks that set the foul-mouthed leader on a collision course with Asia's largest Catholic church.

A massive crowd of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics joined a raucous procession of a centuries-old life-size statue of Jesus Christ under extra-tight security.

The attack may have been carried out with the knowledge of two army commanders, a justice official said.