After talk with priest, CHR teen forgives Obach, eyes suing ex-BF

CEBU, Philippines -  An interesting twist in the case of an unwed teenage mother scolded by a priest officiating the baptismal rites unfolded yesterday, after the family decided to go after the 22-year-old boyfriend who allegedly abandoned her while she was still pregnant.

This, as the teenager’s camp dropped plans of filing a complaint against Fr. Romeo“Oming” Obach, a Redemptorist priest, following a tearful apology he personally made to her.

The Commission on Human Rights, which is assisting the teenager, would now be after the guy to hold him accountable for evading responsibility, which led to the teenage mother’s attempt at suicide.

CHR-7 Chief  Investigator Primo Cadampog said he initially intended to talk to the girl’s family about the planned case against Obach, but he ended up finalizing the complaint against the baby’s father, who allegedly ran away instead of facing his responsibility.

“I went to their house this (yesterday) morning at around 10 a.m. I spoke with (teen mom’s name withheld), her mother and her father. Supposedly, among sabotan ang kaso sa pari.  Pero nagpasalamat sila nga nangayo’g pasaylo (we were to discuss the complaint against the priest.  But they were already satisfied that he asked for forgiveness),” Cadampog said.

“Nahupay na gamay kay nakadawat na man sila sa katong public apology ug katong hand-written letter sa pari. So karon, ang ilang pasakaan ug sumbong katong amahan sa bata nga milayas (The priest’s public apology and hand-written apology was enough for them. Now, it is the guy who fathered the child but fled whom they want sued),” Cadampog added.

Rio Hortelano, who hails from the northern Cebu town of Tabogon, reportedly has another girlfriend and broke up with the teenage mother as soon as he learned of her pregnancy. The emotional hurt caused by him abandoning her even led to the girl’s attempted suicide and her giving birth prematurely.

After she told Hortelano that she was carrying his child, he told her he would look for a job. He did not return. She later learned he already has another girlfriend.

 “Willing sila mopasaka ug kaso. Mahu’g gihapon nga mi-violate ang papa sa RA 7610 ug RA 9262. Mo-assist ta sa ilang affidavit ug sa pag-file sa kaso (They are willing to sue the guy, who we can say violated the Anti-Child Abuse law and the Anti-violence Against Women and their Children Act. We would assist them in executing affidavits for the filing of the complaint),” Cadampog said.

Lawyer Dante Jadman of CHR 7 said the family is set to formalize their complaint next week.

The father of the child, based on the past interview with the 17 year old, she said that she met him in the northern province of Cebu. By the month of February, she told

Cadampog said that before his 25-minute discussion with the girl’s family in their home in Mandaue City yesterday morning, he spoke with the girl’s grandmother, the infant’s grandmother who uploaded to Facebook a video of Obach holding a microphone and berating the girl during the baptism.

Obach and the teenage mother met yesterday in what was described as “an emotional encounter.”

 “The baby’s grandmother (Rodriguez) and another companion went to the provincialate accompanied by a staff of the Sacred Heart chaplaincy in Jagobiao. I did not have any idea that they met because I was facilitating the release of the statement. But I learned that it was an emotional encounter,” said Redemptorist Community spokesperson Fr. Alfonso Suico, Jr.

In his letter, Obach profusely apologized over what he did, which he said he deeply regretted.

 “Dear (name withheld by The FREEMAN), Tugoti ako sa pagpadayag sa akong dakong pagbasol sa akong sakit nga nabuhat, una sa tanan kanimo og sa tanan nga mga saksi. Wala gyud nako damha nga makapamulong ako nga imo akong pasayloon sa gibuhat ko niadtong Hulyo 6, 2014 sa Chapel sa Sacred Heart. (Allow me to express my utmost regret in having hurt you and those around. I did not intend to utter those words; please forgive me for what I did last July 6, 2014 at the Sacred Heart Chapel.),” he said in his letter.

“Manghinaut ako nga ma-alim ug dali ang samad sa atong mga dughan tungod sa niining wala gi-palandong nga hitabo. Sa makausa pa, pasayloa intawn ako. Andam usab ako makigkita kanimo sa imong gustong panahon ug lugar aron personal akong makapadayag sa pagpangayo og pasaylo. Kanimo matinahuron (It is my hope that the wounds in our hearts caused by this unwanted incident would heal the soonest. Once again, please forgive me.  I am ready to meet you in a time a place of your choosing to personally plead before you for forgiveness. Respectfully yours), Fr. Oming Obach, CSsR,” he added.

Suico, though, clarified that Obach was not “suspended,”  which is a term some media outlets used, but was merely disallowed from officiating mass in public so he would have more time to ponder on what he did.

“He is not allowed to officiate mass in public to give him more time to reflect. He is in Cebu because he is asked not to leave, not at this time. He was ordered to stay inside the provincialate to have more personal prayer and silence,” Suico said. 

Obach is from Iligan City.

Suico said for Obach to undergo a spiritual counseling is “not a remote possibility,” depending on the results of their internal investigation.

Though he refused to give a timeline, Suico assured the public and the teenage mother’s family that their investigation would be finished the “soonest possible time.”

He mentioned as a “very welcome note” an earlier statement by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma expressing confidence in the investigation that the religious order is conducting.

“We really do it (investigation) according to the right process. Even if reconciliation between the family and the priest happens, the investigation continues and the proper actions will be done,” Suico said.

The teenage mother told The FREEMAN yesterday that Rodriguez and three others went to the Redemptorist Church in Cebu City Tuesday afternoon to meet Obach.

After Obach meet with Rodriguez around 1 p.m., he handed her a letter for her and daughter and hugged her.

Asked what she felt after she received the priest’s handwritten letter, the teenage mother said she relieved, noting how Obach exerted effort in making the letter.

“Okay naman ko, mapasaylo na nako if willing siya na makig-storya og makigkita (I feel okay already. I can forgive him if he is willing to meet and speak with me),” the 17-year-old girl said during the interview with The FREEMAN before they finally met yesterday. —/RHM (FREEMAN)