A US-based watchdog has launched an online database detailing over 80 Roman Catholic priests in the Philippines accused of sexually abusing minors. The group, BishopAccountability.org, accuses Filipino bishops of covering up these crimes, citing their long silence on the issue. The database includes photos, names, and details of the alleged assaults, some dating back decades. The group emphasizes that secrecy only benefits the perpetrators and urges Philippine prosecutors to investigate church officials for failing to report abuses.
MANILA, Philippines—A United States-based watchdog on Wednesday launched an online database on more than 80 Roman Catholic priests who have been accused of sexually abusing minors in the Philippines and said the silence of Filipino bishops on the crimes amounted to a cover-up.
The Philippines is the third-largest Roman Catholic nation in the world, and public discussions of sexual assaults by members of the clergy, who are revered especially in rural regions, has long been generally muted. None of the 82 members of the clergy, including seven bishops, who have been included in the new online database on clergy sexual abuses by the groupThe database featured their faces, names and details of their alleged sexual assaults on minors, some of which dated back more than two decades ago. The nonprofit said that it had also set up such online databases on Catholic clergy abuses in the US, Argentina, Chile and Ireland. Anne Barrett Doyle, a director of BishopAccountability.org, said that the long silence of bishops in the Philippines encouraged such sexual assaults by members of the clergy. She asked Philippine prosecutors to investigate church officials, who failed to report abuses. “Philippine bishops feel entitled to their silence. They feel entitled to withhold information about sexual violence toward minors. They feel entitled to defend accused priests,” Doyle said at a news conference in Manila. “What we hope to achieve is raise awareness,” she said. “Secrecy only benefits the perpetrators. Secrecy equals complicity.” Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, a Philippine church leader, said that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has set up an office to safeguard minors and vulnerable adults and report complaints to the Vatican. “Our mandate from Rome is to take the issue of accountability very seriously, especially those related to alleged abuse cases involving priests,” David said, without elaborating. “The external mechanisms that have forced accountability by Catholic bishops elsewhere—litigation by victims, probes of church entities by prosecutors, inquiries by government commissions and substantial investigations by local news media—have occurred little or not at all in the world’s third largest Catholic country,”Some of the members of the clergy included in the database have been cleared of charges and allowed to return to church work and ministry, regaining close access to potential victims, the nonprofit, which has been tracking the sexual abuse crisis haunting the Roman Catholic Church since the group’s founding in 2003, said with alarm. The names of priests and other clerics included in the database were collected from news reports, publicly filed court documents and church pronouncements, the group said, and added that the list of 82 clerics linked to sexual abuses in the Philippines may just be “the tip of the iceberg.” Gemma Hickey, a victim of clergy sexual abuse who spoke at the news conference in Manila, said that victims suffer long after they have been assaulted. “It’s survivors that serve a life sentence. Many of the priests who have abused us get to carry on with their lives. They don’t face jail time. Some of them retire, move on with their lives, move on even to other careers and escape under the radar,” Hickey said.By checking this box, you confirm that you have read and are agreeing to our terms of use regarding the storage of the data submitted through this form.Know more
Please follow us on Google to support us SEXUAL ABUSE CATHOLIC CHURCH PHILIPPINES BISHOPACCOUNTABILITY COVER UP
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NSC Reorganization Exposes Rift Between Marcos and Duterte FactionsFormer congressman Neri Colmenares says the recent restructuring of the National Security Council (NSC) in the Philippines highlights the growing divide between President Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte's camps.
Read more »
Philippine Pogo Hub Raid Exposes Extent of Illegal ActivitiesA recent raid on a Pogo (Philippine Online Gaming Operators) hub in Porac, Pampanga, revealed a complex network of illegal gambling, human trafficking, and other criminal activities. This incident follows a nationwide ban on Pogo operations imposed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in late 2024, highlighting the ongoing efforts to address the harmful consequences of this industry.
Read more »
Jollibee: A Filipino Fast-Food Giant Making Global WavesFrom humble beginnings as an ice cream parlor in Manila, Jollibee Foods Corporation has risen to become a global fast-food sensation, blending Filipino flavors with Western fast food concepts. Its iconic Chickenjoy and Filipino-style spaghetti have captivated taste buds worldwide, while its expansion into international markets has promoted Filipino culture and cuisine. Jollibee's success story is a testament to the Filipino spirit of resilience and innovation.
Read more »
US Watchdog Exposes Dozens of Filipino Clergy Accused of Sex AbuseBishopAccountability.org, a US-based watchdog, launched a database revealing 82 Filipino priests and brothers accused of sexually abusing minors. The group criticized Philippine bishops for withholding information, defending accused priests, and returning them to ministry without proper accountability. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines responded that the Vatican mandates them to take abuse issues seriously and every diocese is required to establish an Office for the Safeguarding of Minors.
Read more »
US Watchdog Exposes 80 Philippine Priests Accused of Child Sexual AbuseBishopAccountability.org, a US-based watchdog organization, launched an online database exposing over 80 Roman Catholic priests in the Philippines accused of sexually abusing minors. The group alleges a cover-up by Philippine bishops and calls for investigations into church officials.
Read more »
Watchdog Exposes 82 Filipino Priests Accused of Child Sexual AbuseBishopAccountability.org launched an online database detailing 82 Roman Catholic priests in the Philippines accused of sexually abusing minors. The group criticizes the Filipino bishops' silence on these crimes, calling it a cover-up. The database includes names, faces, and details of alleged assaults, some dating back decades. While none of the accused have been convicted in Philippine courts, the organization aims to raise awareness and encourage investigations.
Read more »