Priest accused of molesting girl off the hook

A PARISH priest in Aloguinsan town, southern Cebu, who was accused of molesting a 17-year-old girl is off the hook after the girl  decided not to pursue filing a complaint.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said on Wednesday that Msgr. Rey  Peñagunda, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Cebu, reported during their board meeting that the church  would no longer investigate the matter.

Monsignor  Peñagunda told the board that the minor has decided not to pursue filing a charge of acts of lasciviousness in relation to Republic Act 7610 or the Special Child Protection Law.

“I’m happy to note that the vicar general who was tasked to look into the matter reported that the person who initially brought the matter regarding the priest (has) withdrawn. He did not elaborate but on our part, it is simply a sign that there may be no truth to the matter,” Palma said.

Insp. Girfred Baroman, chief of the Aloguinsan police, told Cebu Daily News   they   were ready to file the case on Monday after documents were completed on Friday. However, the girl did not show up for the filing of the complaint.

The complaint stemmed  from the account of two girls, aged 15 and 17 who reported  last June 4 that the priest had molested the older girl on Dec. 24 last year.

Police said the minors reported the incident only this month because they  were afraid to expose the priest and had no resources to file a case.

The 17-year-old girl, a member of the church choir,  said she was asked to get fruits from the priest’s car on Christmas Eve and was surprised to find him in the car. The clergy member allegedly kissed her and told her to go to his room to give him a massage.

The girl said she did as she was told, and that the priest embraced her and touched her private parts.