February 28, 2005

UN digs into priests’ sexual abuses in RP

PHILIPPINES
Manila Standard

By Christine F. Herrera

The Washington-based Catholics for a Free Choice has found that because of the policy of secrecy in the Roman Catholic Church, erring men of the cloth are practically untouchable, at least in the Philippines.

Standard has obtained a copy of the 27-page report that details a dozen cases of sexual abuse involving local and foreign priests in the Philippines.

The report recommends that the Holy See and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines rescind the requirements of “secrecy” on sexual abuse cases involving members of the clergy.

It said the Holy See was “delinquent” in its obligations, and failed to submit a full report on child abuse by clergy and members of religious orders.

The report was submitted last month to the United Nations, the Holy See and the CBCP Convention on the Rights of the Child.

CfFC commissioned two Philippine nongovernment organizations, the Linangan or Likhaan ng mga Kababaihan Inc. and the Child Justice League Inc., to conduct a study for the United Nations on how the laws of the Holy See affect the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.

Posted by kshaw at February 28, 2005 10:48 AM