Altar boys’ sex raps vs priest implausible

CEBU CITY — Has the truth set Fr. Apolinario Mejorada free?

The other day, the controversial Agustinian priest was cleared of charges of acts of lasciviousness, with the city prosecutor’s office finding no probable cause to indict him on allegations by two former altar boys of the Basilica del Santo Niño.

In dismissing the charges against Mejorada, Cebu City prosecutor Jose Pedrosa said the accusations of altar boy Michael Gatchalian that the priest had molested him and another altar boy were implausible and his motives dubious.

"It proves something. Somebody was lying and somebody was telling the truth," said archdiocesan media liaison officer Achilles Dakay.

Scandal has since blemished the Cebu Archdiocese and troubled the Agustinian community when the two altar boys surfaced and appeared in court last year accusing Mejorada of sexual molestation.

Gatchalian alleged that Mejorada touched and squeezed his genitals while they were watching a movie on Jan. 11, 1998. He was then 17 years old.

The priest allegedly again did the same thing during a field trip to Bohol, Gatchalian claimed.

In a May 26 resolution, associate prosecutor Rogelio del Prado Jr. recommended the elevation of Mejorada’s case in court for violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse.

But when the case was raised for review, reviewing officer Nicolas Sellon, in his June 6 comment, overturned Del Prado’s resolution and cleared Mejorada of the charges.

Sellon anchored his ruling on three issues involving motive, "mathematical computation of age of minor" and psychological injury.

On the first issue, Sellon questioned Gatchalian’s motive for filing the complaint only after five years had elapsed and after having received huge amounts of "settlement money" twice.

In a six-page comment on Del Prado’s resolution, Sellon questioned why Gatchalian failed to approach authorities or the Children’s Legal Bureau to institute criminal actions against the priest.

Instead, he said Gatchalian "kept himself busy in arranging for the settlement of the case with money."

Mejorada gave P80,000 to Gatchalian in November 1999. Through his counsel, Gatchalian reportedly asked for P10 million in settlement. But only P120,000 was given in October 2000.

Prior to the settlement demand, Gatchalian had asked for a public apology. In the presence of the boys’ counsel, Mejorada met with them on Oct. 25, 1999, reportedly admitted committing the acts and even kissed the boys’ feet and cried.

During the preliminary hearing of the complaint, Gatchalian said he did not immediately approach the authorities because he was consumed with shame and fear at that time.

On the issue of Gatchalian’s being a minor, Sellon said Gatchalian’s "mathematical computation of age as minor" could not be applied in his case because the altar boy was even mature enough to demand money and sign the demand letter.

On the issue of psychological injury, Sellon said there is no showing that Gatchalian suffered from psychological injury as a result of the alleged sexual molestation.

He noted that after the incident, Gatchalian did not show manifestations of a psychologically disturbed person. The altar boy even refused to be subjected to any psychological or psychiatric treatment. — Freeman News Service