Malilong: My priest, right or wrong

Saturday, February 11, 2012

THE issue of sexual abuses committed by members of the clergy is a sensitive one that the Catholic Church in the Philippines has consistently sought to avoid discussing publicly in the past. It is therefore a surprise that no less than the Archbishop of Manila has all but acknowledged the extent, if not the enormity, of the problem last Thursday during a conference in Rome.

Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle was talking about the situation in Asia, where, he said, a culture of silence may be keeping many victims of sex abuse by men of the cloth. We all know, of course, that when it comes to the Roman Catholic Church, Asia is the Philippines.

In the past five years, more and more victims of sexual abuse by priests have spoken out in the Philippines, Tagle told the bishops, “but incidents of priests keeping mistresses still far outpaced reports of priests preying on children.” He surmised that Asian deference to church authorities may have also influenced the victims against coming out to complain.

This deference has its roots in culture and tradition going back to the years of colonial rule by the Spaniards, who brought Christianity to the Philippines, as those who have taken up Rizal 101 know too well.

But in many cases, the victim’s submission has less to do with reverence than with fear or a sense of helplessness. They believe that complaining against a priest will not bring out anything good to them. This belief, sadly, is entirely not without basis.

Many years ago, for example, a girl in a northern city complained that she had been molested by a priest. A criminal case was filed against the reverend. An elected public official, who belongs to a powerful political clan in that city, took the victim under her wings. The public closely followed the case through the media.

But what happened? The case was dismissed because the complainant lost interest. After exposing herself and her family to public shame and ridicule by admitting that something that a Filipina woman cannot be proud of was done to her, she decided that it wasn’t worth running after her alleged tormentor. Why, we can only speculate.

And remember the case of the high school girls who complained that their spiritual adviser fiddled with their bra straps? Nothing came out of that either. In both cases, the priests were suspended from performing priestly duties for a while. Only for a while.

Asian bishops, who have paternal and fraternal relationships with their priests, would find it difficult to turn over an accused priest to the police, Tagle told his audience in Rome. In fact, the bishops coddle them.

Not very long ago, a scandal broke out in a parish in a nearby northern town. A priest, who is known to have sired children while assigned in the city, was reportedly seen having sex with a girl on top of a table at the back of the church.

Colleague Bobby Nalzaro wrote about it in his column and discussed it extensively in his radio program. The other day, SuperBob reported that the parties (the parishioners who complained against the priest and those who defended him) have reconciled.

My priest, right or wrong. That is the rule. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.

(frank.otherside@yahoo.com)