On alleged sexual harassment: DepEd, Oasis heads cooperate with NBI

Officials of the Department of Education and the Oasis of Love who earlier refused to cooperate in the investigation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development into the accusations of 19 high school students against a priest have finally been compelled to cooperate.

Oasis of Love head servant Nonito "Dodong" Limchua and former DepEd Cebu City division superintendent Leonilo Oliva, who snubbed an earlier invitation from DSWD, appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation office yesterday to shed light on the ongoing investigation against the priest.

Aside from Limchua and Oliva, Abellana National School principal Ernesto Jacel also appeared before the NBI. The three were subpoenaed by investigator Jedidah Hife to appear before her with the necessary documents relative to the questioned Life in the Spirit Seminar held in ANS last November 14 where a priest allegedly harassed 19 students while hearing their confession.

Among the documents submitted by Limchua was the list of the invited priests and the participants of the seminar. Oliva and Jacel also submitted the joint investigation report of DepEd, ANS and DSWD.

Hife refused to reveal the details of their meeting saying that they are still evaluating the documents submitted to them. But a reliable source told The Freeman that the list submitted by Limchua only had the nicknames of seven priests invited to the seminar because Limchua claimed they did not know their real names.

Although the NBI refused to identify the name of the priest, other sources have identified the priest as Benidicto Sosobrado Ejares. The officials of the Bureau of Immigration also confirmed that they have received several requests on the travel records of Ejares from the media and from the NBI.

Aside from the BI, one of the victims and another witness also identified Ejares from his pictures. - Fred P. Languido/BRP