Priest charged with adultery, unjust vexation

ANGELES CITY, Philippines  – A mall executive has filed adultery and unjust vexation charges on Friday against a newly ordained priest, whom he accused of having an illicit affair with his wife.

The complaint named the priest as Fr. Jeffrey Louie Maghirang, who was immediately suspended from his ministry by San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto.

Maghirang used to be an assistant of Auxiliary Bishop Virgilio Pablo David of the Holy Rosary parish in this city.

The 32-year-old complainant asked that his name be withheld to protect the interest of his two-year-old son and the company he works for. He also asked that his wife be identified by her maiden name Arah Zablan, 24.

In an interview with The STAR, Fr. Larry Sarmiento, chairman of the Commission on Conciliation and Arbitration of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, said Maghirang was ordained only about a year ago. 

Sarmiento said Aniceto immediately ordered the “absolute suspension” of Maghirang when the complaint reached him sometime last July. Aniceto also immediately tasked Sarmiento, as commission chairman, to probe the allegations.  

Sarmiento said Maghirang was transferred to the archdiocese’s Social Action Center in San Fernando pending the probe and was also ordered to undergo counseling.   

“Respondent and Arah (had been) frequently meeting each other in a secret place and (they) even talked about their feelings, emotions, and their passionate love affair through their Internet conversations,” according to the complaint.

A compact disc of the supposed Internet chat of the alleged lovers, was attached to the complaint.

The complainant said the “immoral acts of the respondent cannot be tolerated and the respondent should be dismissed from priesthood.”

However, Sarmiento, said, only the Vatican has the power to dismiss a priest.