ROME, Italy  (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – The predominantly Catholic country, the Philippines, has cut diplomatic ties with The Vatican, sources close to Pope Francis, told reporters in Rome today.

The surprise move comes after Pope Francis issued a statement Wednesday calling for the church to embrace Catholics who have divorced and remarried.

Such couples “are not excommunicated, and they absolutely must not be treated that way,” Francis told a Vatican crowd. “They always belong to the church.”

Francis asked pastors to welcome Catholics who have remarried without an annulment, even though such Catholics are currently barred in most cases from receiving the Eucharist, the central sacrament of the faith.

“The church is called to be always the open house of the father … no closed doors! No closed doors,” Francis told the crowd at his weekly public audience, which resumed after a month-long summer break.

President Aquino, a devout Catholic (and a bachelor) confirmed the news with the Malacañang press corps.  He said that the decision was reached after consulation with the ultra conservative Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

The Philippines prides itself as the only remaining country in the world, outside of The Vatican, in which divorce is not legal. This, despite common knowledge that many Filipino men, especially rich politicians, are known to be philanderers and openly practice polygamy.

“By his statement, Pope Francis undermines the Philippines’ stubborn resolve to cling to centuries-old church dogma regarding the Sacrament of Marriage,” Aquino said. “We can’t allow The Vatican to take away the Philippines’ world record on divorce law,” he added.