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CEBU CITY, Philippines— If a case will be filed against a former parish priest of a barangay in Dumanjug town, for allegedly molesting a 17-year-old girl, the town’s Police Women and Children’s Desk is hoping that the Catholic Church will cooperate with the investigation.
According to PO3 Irish Bueno, Women and Children’s Desk Officer of the Dumanjug Police Station, the family of the girl reported the incident to the police on Friday, March 8, where the family claimed that the girl was allegedly molested by the priest.
The priest is being investigated by the National Bureau of investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) and the Dumanjug Police for the alleged March 3 molestation of the girl, who was the altar server of the Church.
Bueno said that the girl was tasked by the priest to bring vitamins to him on the night of March 2.
For her service, Bueno said that the priest gave her food and water and let her watch television in his room.
According to the account of the 17-year-old, the priest asked her to allegedly lay down beside him on his bed and allegedly kissed her without consent.
The family of the girl went to NBI-7 to seek for help.
According to Assistant Regional Director Dominador Cimafranca, they would be closely investigating the case especially since the family has personally trusted them to help them with the case.
Bueno said that the priest had already been relieved from his parish and was most likely no longer in Dumanjug.
“Wala naman siya diri karon. Wala na mi kahibalo asa siya na-assign. Si Monsignor (Jose) Palma ray makatubag ana,” said Bueno.
Bueno said that the family was preparing to file a case of Acts of Lasciviousness against the priest, and the police could only arrest him if the court would issue a warrant of arrest against him.
Read more: Priest faces child abuse raps; Palma makes a public apology for priest’s ‘unkind’ behavior
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, on Saturday, March 9, was tightlipped on the location of the priest as the investigations continued.
Palma ordered the formation of an investigation committee to find out the truth of the matter.
The committee was composed of experts of the Canon Law including Monsignor Raul Go, Monsignor Danny Sanico, and Fr. Sherwin Ferrater.
The same investigation committee was assigned for the case of the Mandaue priest who allegedly physically abused a mentally-challenged child in December 2018.
Palma said that he was hoping that the people would not be quick to judge the priest while the investigation was continuing./dbs