Nalzaro: Time for Archbishop Palma to act

Friday, January 27, 2012

THE alleged sexual indiscretions of two members of the Team Ministry in the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Minglanila may just be the tip of the iceberg, sort of. A newly formed group composed of vigilant parishioners, the Nagkahiusang Romano Katoliko in Minglanilla (Naroko-Mi), is documenting the alleged questionable business venture of Fr. Scipio “Jojo” Deligero, the team’s moderator.

The group is also closely monitoring the progress of the controversy involving two members of the Team Ministry. One was accused of having sex with women at the back of the church while the other allegedly sexually harassed his altar boys.

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The group is urging Archbishop Jose Palma to immediately act on the matter before it worsens. Some disgruntled lay ministers earlier petitioned Palma to remove all members of the Team Ministry from the parish. They vowed to stage pickets in front of the church if Palma ignores their petition.

The group linked Fr. Deligero to a business deal involving a moneyed church benefactor. The family of this church benefactor, who is close to the powers-that-be in the town, is allegedly planning to develop a 56-hectare land in the mountain barangays of Candulawan and Vito into a mountain resort. Fr. Jojo is reportedly laying the groundwork for this multi-million-peso development.

The priest is allegedly being used by the developer to convince the settlers to sell their lots or accept the offer for them to vacate the said lots. To gain the support of the residents and in the guise of helping them, Deligero reportedly extended loans and provided the farmers with fertilizers. But some residents smell something fishy in the act.

Why is Deligero allowing himself to be used to advance the personal and business interests of his benefactor? Is he a priest, whose main mission is to provide for the spiritual needs of the people, or is he a businessman?

If so, he should quit the Team Ministry and be a businessman himself. Note that this is the same developer who planned to develop a multi-million-peso reclamation project in Tulay, with Fr. Jojo also reportedly in its frontline.

And what is the Rotary Club of Cebu Midtown doing in Minglanilla? The priest and his benefactor are reportedly members of this group. A barangay captain in one of the town's barangays recently resigned from the group after sensing that it is being used for business ventures.

Some Rotary members tapped residents to sell an energy drink derived from coconut wine locally known as “tuba” without permit from the Bureau of Food and Drugs. Others sold insurance to residents allegedly without giving them the policy. Why are Rotarians allowing themselves to be used by those with personal and vested interests?

With these allegations against the Team Ministry moderator and the sexual scandals involving his colleagues, I think Bishop Palma should resolve once and for all the conflict in the parish. I hope that the good bishop will not sit on the petition filed by some parishioners seeking the transfer of these priests.

We have good priests with good reputation in the community and in the church that can effectively manage that parish and restore the harmonious relationship between the church and the parishioners. Sa imong mga kamot, Obispo Palma, itugyan namo ang kapalaran ning maong mga pari.

(bobby.nalzaro@yahoo.com)