FLORIDA
St. Petersburg Times
By CHRIS TISCH, Times Staff Writer
Published April 12, 2006
A Catholic priest from the Philippines who was accused of sexually abusing a girl while visiting a Gulfport church decades ago has reportedly died.
The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office learned last summer that the Rev. Polienato Bernabe may have died in the Philippines. Prosecutors had issued a warrant for Bernabe's arrest in 2002, but the priest could not be found.
The St. Petersburg Diocese confirmed this week that a diocese in the Philippines told them of Bernabe's death.
"We did get confirmation that he passed away," said Vicki Bedard, a diocese spokeswoman.
Prosecutor Jim Hellickson said the diocese provided his office with a copy of Bernabe's death certificate, which says he died in 2004. Still, prosecutors are trying to independently verify that Bernabe has died, Hellickson said.