Priest denies sex abuse rap

A lawyer for Fr. Aladin Alisbo, assistant parish priest of Tanay, Rizal strongly denied yesterday allegations that police had caught the Church man sexually molesting a freshman coed in Tanay.

Edna Montoya, a lawyer for Alisbo, described as "grossly irresponsible, baseless and malicious" news reports suggesting that "police caught the priest in the act of kissing the victim’s lips and neck while fondling her breasts."

Montoya said "nowhere in the statement made by the complainant before the police of Tanay, Rizal nor in the complaint before the Metropolitan Trial Court of Tanay does" the suggestion of sexual molestation appeared.

"No policeman was in sight during the alleged commission of the crime. In fact, there were absolutely no witnesses to the alleged crime," Montoya said in a statement.

Montoya said the complainant "admitted" to police authorities "to vomiting twice (meaning she was drunk at the time) when (Fr. Alisbo) drove her home."

Montoya said earlier news reports gave "the impression" that Fr. Alisbo was "really guilty as he was caught by the police ‘in the act’ or as we say in law, en flagrante delicto."

Montoya’s strong defense of Fr. Alisbo stemmed from news reports saying that the Diocese of Antipolo was investigating Fr. Alisbo for sexually molesting the coed and that policemen caught him in the act.