PHILIPPINES
PhilStar
By Dennis Carcamo (The Philippine Star) Updated September 26, 2012
MANILA, Philippines – A ranking official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Wednesday said the Vatican has already initiated a probe into the alleged involvement of a Cebu church official in ivory smuggling.
Based on the article by the National Geographic magazine, Msgr. Cristobal Gracias admitted having acquired some of the religious artifacts made of ivory via smuggling.
“In regard to the matter of Msgr. Garcia’s past, the case has been elevated to the Holy See and it has initiated the investigation into it long before the present controversy erupted. I have also fulfilled the Holy See’s instructions regarding submission of documents and acting upon related consequences,” CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said.
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