Another victim identifies priest

Another participant to the controversial Life in the Spirit Seminar organized by the Oasis of Love and the Department of Education at the Abellana National School last month positively identified the priest who she said inappropriately touched her and her classmates during confession.

A resident of barangay Hipodromo, the girl went yesterday to the National Bureau of Investigation office with her father and identified the priest based on the pictures presented to her.

It was the same procedure that the NBI used when the first witness identified the priest last Wednesday.

NBI special investigator Jedidah Hife, who was assigned to handle the case, made a simulated lineup of possible suspects using several pictures from their files. Out of the six pictures lined-up on the table, the victim pointed to that of the priest that was earlier obtained through his file when he applied for NBI clearance.

Hife said the case against the priest is now getting stronger now that at least two students pointed to the priest as the one who harassed them during a confession.

He said they hope that the other victims will come to their office and identify the priest. According to him, they are having a hard time locating the other victims because they do not know their addresses.

The NBI is expected to issue a subpoena to the Archdiocese of Cebu to produce the priest. Hife said that if the archdiocese refuses to produce the priest, they would be forced to file the case without hearing the priest's side on the allegations.

The NBI, however, refused to release the name of the priest. But Bureau of Immigration and Deportation officials said they have already received a lot of request inquiring on the travel records of the priest.

BID regional director Geronimo Rosas said based on their records, the priest left for Hong Kong via Cebu Pacific on November 10 and returned on November 13 via the same flight.

Since then, there were no other records that would support that the priest has left the country after the controversy. However, Cherry Lyn Seno, who is in charge of the BID records, said they are still checking with their Manila office whether the priest has left the country after November 13.

The identity of the priest has been kept secret by the seminar organizers and Church officials. Department of Social Welfare and Development officials had requested the archdiocese to reveal the identity of the priest, but the latter refused.

Ricardo Cardinal Vidal reportedly said the archdiocese could not reveal the name of the priest because it might be a violation to his rights. Last week, the DSWD even tried to facilitate a dialogue between the priest and the victims after they reportedly offered to forgive him on condition that he will ask for apology.

However, Church officials and the Oasis of Love turned down the invitation, prompting the DSWD to turn over the case to the NBI. - Fred P. Languido with Jose P. Sollano/LPM