BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
CHALLENGING pedophile priests in court is possible today in the Philippines. Much has changed in the Philippine judiciary in the past 20 years. Prosecutors and judges in the family courts are armed with 37 laws that mandate that they protect children and bring their abusers to swift and strict justice. Many prosecutors and judges are doing just that in Luzon and other parts of the Philippines.
Church influence over government prosecutors and judges has greatly diminished since the previous administration of President Rodrigo Duterte who threatened to expose the alleged wrongdoings of bishops and priests, saying he himself was sexually abused by a priest. The Philippine judiciary is more independent and many women prosecutors and judges (and men, too) in the family courts are strong and independent-minded and will never bend to church pressure.
In February 2019 in Negros Occidental four years have passed and no action taken in the office of the city prosecutor in the case of a four years old victim of rape allegedly by a priest. Despite a non-bailable charge of rape he walks free with alleged impunity, saying mass and doing his priestly duties. The Secretary of Justice should investigate. We can say he is innocent until proven guilty so let the case proceed and there be justice.
There are some strong-minded prosecutors and judges holding priests accused of child abuse accountable and bringing them to court at present. The latest and most shocking investigation into clerical sexual sexual abuse by Catholic priests has been released in a report by Attorney General Anthony Brown in Baltimore in the United States. As many as 156 priests abused more than 600 children over decades.
The victim-/survivors have reported the sexual abuse by priests over years and the archbishop of Baltimore, Bishop William E. Lori, issued a statement of apology after the release of the report on April 5, 2023.
The report said: “Time and again, members of the Church’s hierarchy resolutely refused to acknowledge allegations of child sexual abuse for as long as possible.” Dioceses have been challenged to call all abusers to repent and submit to the civil law.
In the Philippine church, no similar investigation by an outside agency would ever happen. There is too much to deny and hide as Cardinal Antonio Tagle said on BBC some years ago that child sexual abuse in the church is a private internal matter for the church to deal with. Pope Francis has a different teaching. They must be held accountable to the civil authorities, no impunity is allowed.
In the Philippines, a Catholic priest is facing justice in Cagayan province. He is in jail, no bail. He is accused of multiple rape and sexual assault of a 15-year old church volunteer. Another priest was arrested in Bacolod City in March this year 2023 for the alleged rape of a 17-year-old choir member. The Sagay City Regional Trial Court issued the arrest warrant.
In such cases were the child’s testimony is strong and clear, the judge just has to listen and believe.
“Let it be clear that before these abominations, the church will spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whosoever has committed such crimes,” Pope Francis said.
He warned the clergy who abuse children, “Convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice.” (To be continued)/PN
