We believe he’s innocent, says Nueva Vizcaya bishop of embattled priest

"We believe that he is innocent."

So said Bishop Ramon Villena of the Diocese of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, referring to accusations being hurled by what he described as "a few people" against Msgr. Vic Tugadi, parish priest of Bagabag town.

"We believe that he only has good intentions for the people of Bagabag. And we are in solidarity with him in his persecution," the bishop said in a letter to The STAR.

Villena said he is "extremely saddened" by the "systematic persecution" Tugadi’s critics are inflicting on his person and ministry.

He recalled that last Holy Week, these people launched a signature campaign to oust Tugadi based on "unsubstantiated" complaints.

When the signatures were submitted to him on May 13, Villena said he had doubts because they were merely photocopied.

He later confirmed his suspicions because "many of those who signed are non-Catholics, many were deceived, coerced or bribed, some were minors, some are even dead or staying abroad and some signatures were forged," he said.

‘Despicable act’

Villena recalled that when Tugadi celebrated his 42nd birthday on May 28, the parish priest’s critics "desecrated his name" by writing defamatory words on the walls of public places in Bagabag.

This "despicable, shameful and criminal act," the bishop said, ruined the dialogue he had scheduled the following day. Nevertheless, he said he reset the dialogue on June 1, but that the day before, Tugadi’s critics announced they would stage a rally.

Villena clarified that there were no 2,000 anti-Tugadi signatures, just 1,600, majority of which, he said, "are questionable and continue to be dubious" since more people are coming forward to retract theirs.

The bishop also belied reports that there were hundreds of oust-Tugadi rallyists. "Despite the free ride and free food offered by the organizers, there was only a handful, more or less 20 to 50, many of them not going to the rally on their own volition," he said in his letter.

Villena admitted that the parish of Bagabag is now fragmented, but that he believes that most of the parishioners are supporting Tugadi, saying there has been no "dramatic decrease" in Mass-goers in the parish church or in barangay chapels.

No solid evidence

In a dialogue finally held on June 3, Villena said proponents of the oust-Tugadi campaign aired their sentiments for four hours but could not present solid evidence to support their accusations of "arrogance, corruption and ostentatious lifestyle."

"Many of them are personal grudges. I am sure that Msgr. Tugadi has his own personal defects but the complaints are so contrived and trivial. And they are just being magnified by people who have vested interests and by the press," the bishop said.

Villena said he has known Tugadi since he was ordained 16 years ago and agreed to be assigned to the diocese’s poorest parish — Belance in Dupax del Norte town — where he had helped a lot of poor villagers, mainly natives, and built a rectory, parish hall and cooperative office.

Tugadi, he said, also served as his chancellor-secretary and "oeconomus" of the diocese, and as parish priest of Cabarroguis, Quirino.

"I have proven his transparency and honesty in reporting to the last centavo every amount that comes in and out of his hand," Villena said.

A simple life

He added: "Like all human beings, he has needs but I can vouch that generally he lives a simple life. What appears as luxury to people like his car and trips abroad are not considered ostentatious inasmuch as these have pastoral value and are common to many priests and bishops."

Tugadi, according to Villena, has done a lot for Bagabag in only two years, including an elementary school building for St. Jerome’s Academy and the Adoration and Day chapels.