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Tuesday, January 14, 2003
Findings support sexual abuse raps v. priest
CEBU -- Some of the findings of the investigation on the case of Fr. Apolinario "Jing" Mejorada tend to support the allegations of sexual abuse of four former altar boys of the Basilica del Sto. Niņo, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal revealed.
The investigating team, composed of Cebu Archdiocese officials, however, did not come up with recommendations or sanctions to be imposed on the former rector of the basilica, pending consultations with the Augustinian priests.
"Well, it is not in the sense that guilty as used in the court but there are some incidents that would tend to that. It is only after having reviewed the whole matter that we will decide what to do, together with the community of the Augustinians," he told Sun.Star.
The cardinal also asked the boys to have more patience, as the investigating body cannot decide on the matter unless the Order of St. Augustine (OSA) officials comment on their findings.
OSA Provincial Fr. Pido is still in Indonesia and is expected to come back to Cebu next month yet.
No one from the OSA community at the basilica is also willing to talk about the matter.
Four former altar boys complained to the cardinal last June that Mejorada sexually abused them on several occasions between 1995 and 1998.
"We are waiting for the Provincial, without him, we cannot decide on anything, we cannot move. No sanctions yet, nothing. I told the boys to have a little more patience because these are things that are quite delicate also. That's why I don't even talk about that with the press," Vidal said.
In a separate interview, one of the teenaged altar boys told Sun.Star that the cardinal called them to his office to inform them of the findings.
But they lamented that the church officials still have not come up with a recommendation on the sanctions that may be imposed on Mejorada.
They also thanked the cardinal for helping them with their complaint, especially after the Augustinians ignored them.
The boys, who were then teenagers, said the whole OSA community should also be reprimanded for covering up Mejorada. But Vidal said the Augustinians couldn't be accused of uncharitable acts, as they were not capable of helping the boys with what they needed.
"It's because it's not in their line. For example, counseling or giving them what a psychologist or a psychiatrist would offer. These things, people should not expect from the community of August-inians, that is not their line," Vidal said.
The former altar boys have been counseled by a Cebu City-based parish priest and other individuals with the expertise. LCR/Sun.Star Cebu |
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