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	NBI Files Raps vs. Priest in Ans Controversy By Fred P. Languido and Wenna A. Berondo The Freeman [Philippines] April 12, 2007 http://www.philstar.com/philstar/Freeman200704121801.htm A priest earlier accused of sexually harassing several students from Abellana National School was formally charged with seven counts of acts of lasciviousness in relation to child abuse before the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office. The National Bureau of Investigation yesterday filed seven counts for violation of Article 339 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Article 6, Section 10 (a) of the Republic Act 7610 otherwise known as the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Expoitation and Discrimination and Republic Act 7877 or the Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 against Fr. Benedicto Ejares. The NBI found out that Fr. Ejares should be indicted of the above cases after seven of the more than 20 student participants of the Life in the Spirit Seminar at the Abellana National School in November last year accused him of inappropriately touching their private parts. Cebu Archdiocesan Episcopal Vicar Esteban Binghay yesterday said they will just wait for the investigation and decision of the court on the case against Fr. Ejares. "If the victims filed a case, it's a criminal case and it now belongs to the court. We have to wait for it," Msgr. Binghay told The Freeman in a telephone interview. He believes that Fr. Ejares has no intention to molest the students as the confession was done in public in the presence of many students and other priests. "Of course, he did not do it." Binghay said that Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal also had a talk with Ejares where the latter denied molesting the students. At least seven of the more than 20 alleged victims of Ejares and one student, who witnessed the alleged lascivious acts of the priest executed affidavits before the NBI to support the filing of the case. The victims said that they attended a seminar organized by the Oasis of Love on November 13 and 14 inside their school gymnasium. Ejares was allegedly one of the priests invited by Nonito Limchua, who heads the Oasis of Love, to hear confessions of the participants. The victims claimed that they were inappropriately touched by Ejares while he was hearing confessions. One of the victims narrated that while she confessed her sins to the priest the latter toyed with the strap of her bra, touched her arms and shoulder. The priest allegedly asked her if she already has a boyfriend. When she answered in the affirmative, the priest proceeded to ask her if she already had an experience, which she understood to mean that if she had already had a sexual experience. The six other victims who executed affidavits against the priest also experienced the same with Ejares. Some of them narrated how the priest put his hands around their shoulders, tickled and pinched their forearms at the same time toyed with their bra straps. Most of the victims said that the priest ended their confessions with the popular tagline of a local FM radio station, "Lupig sila for life." Ejares' behavior allegedly "demeaned the intrinsic worth and dignity as a human being" of the victims. Special Investigator Jedidah Hife, who relentlessly pursued the investigation of the case despite the uncooperative behavior of most of the parents of the victims, subpoenaed Ejares to appear during investigation to hear his side. However, Ejares failed to appear. The NBI took over in the investigation of the case upon the request of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas. DSWD regional director Teodulo Romo asked the NBI to take over in the investigation after they failed to get the cooperation of the church officials and even the organizers of the seminar. Msgr. Binghay, who was one of those who called the priest right after the report on alleged molestation broke out, described Ejares, in his 40s, as joker and likes to clown around, especially with young people. "The confession was done in public with other priests and many students are aorund. Tiaw-tiaw ra tingali to niya kay batan-on pa lagi. But he has to prove that in court," Binghay added. The episcopal vicar also blamed the media for bloating the story because "what the media reported was overdone." Binghay also said that Ejares was not seen right after the incident because he left for the United States "to take advantage of his visa." He added that Ejares is still under the Cebu archdiocese and is still allowed to celebrate the Holy Mass. "He can still celebrate the Holy Mass. He is not suspended. Fr. Ejares is still innocent until proven otherwise," Binghay said.
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