MANILA (PHILIPPINES)
Panay News [Iloilo, Phillipines]
August 7, 2023
By Fr. Shay Cullen
THE BISHOPS must never condone, tolerate or cover up child abuse among their clergy. In the Philippines, it is likely none have ever done it. Many try to pay off the victim’s families to drop charges. That priest will feel above the law, protected by the church and bishop, and will abuse more children.
Prosecutors must be independent, strong and determined to never give in to pressure and steadfastly uphold the law equally. The judges must deliver justice without fear or favor nor be intimidated by anyone in power, moral or civil, and deliver justice for the abused children.
While some cases of child abuse against priests in the Philippines have seemingly been frozen by some unworthy prosecutors and judge, not so in cases filed against non-clerical abusers. Many dedicated prosecutors and judges are actively doing that.
The brave and determined prosecutor in Zambales elevated the complaint of statutory rape against the abuser of an orphaned 10-year old child in 2021, Mika (not her real name). He was convicted for rape 22nd May 2023.
Mika was saved by social workers and therapists at the Preda Foundation’s home for abused children and became empowered and self-confident to give her clear testimony. The Emotional Release Therapy is where she screamed out her anger, hatred and punched the cushions as if punching her rapist.
She released all the pent up pain she was enduring and was healed. She became self-confident and strong of mind and heart. With the conviction of Flores, she is now free of her abuser forever. Many more children will be safe from the serial rapist jailed for life.
The experienced and wise judge wrote, “Mika’s testimony on how she was raped by the accused remained consistent, and was able to describe with all accuracy and truthfulness. She did not sway a bit through cross examination, instead her testimony remained consistent in all material points.”
The evidence of the medico-legal examination of the 10-year old showed healed lacerations and added weight to the child’s testimony. The clear straight forward testimony of an immature child told with frankness and honesty won the conviction.
The truth is plain to see and the truth is what brings justice. The priests and bishops and lay people have to cleanse the church of this “filth” as Pope Benedict called clerical child abuse before his death.
Pope Francis demands child abusing priests be tried by the civil authorities. Bishops are called to protect the children, the people, their priests and their church by ridding their diocese of child-abusing priests. They may wrongly think that the priest can be forgiven right away bypassing the needed steps of confession of guilt, repentance and acceptance of penance behind bars where he will abuse children no more.
For this to be done Pope Francis set up in June 2015 a Vatican tribunal to put clergy priests and bishops on trial for child abuse or for failing to stop and prevent abuse of children and for covering up an act of child abuse. That is the absolute conviction and belief that goodness, truth, justice and love of neighbor and protecting children will overcome and triumph over evil.
They are the most important. “Whoever will accept one child as this is accepts me”, (Matthew 18: 5-6) Jesus said. What more encouragement do we need to stand for the victims? (preda.org)/PN