Transcript Published after Fr Mark Montebello Objects to the Sunday Times of Malta Story

Times of Malta
November 10, 2014

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141110/local/transcript-published-after-fr-mark-montebello-objects-to-the-sunday-times-of-malta-story.543418

Dominican priest Mark Montebello is denying that he acted as an intermediary in the money offer made to a complainant in the clerical sex abuse case involving the former Kerygma Movement director Fr Charles Fenech, in return for her silence.

Following a telephone interview with him on Saturday ahead of the story in The Sunday Times of Malta, Fr Montebello is now saying that he had not acted as an intermediary in the matter.

Times of Malta is publishing Fr Montebello's statement and, in view of his comments, it is also publishing the transcript of the phone call made before the Sunday Times of Malta story was published.

FR MONTEBELLO'S STATEMENT

"There must have been some misunderstanding with regard to the report by Matthew Xuereb in today’s Sunday Times on the cash offered to silence the alleged victim of Fr. Charles Fenech.

"May I make it clear that I had not been in any way an intermediary in the matter. What happened was that, while speaking with Edgar Bonnici Cachia on the phone about some other matter, I mentioned in passing that it came to my attention that money had been offered to the alleged victim and that it had been refused.

"Mr Bonnici Cachia told me that he was aware of such cases and that neither he nor the alleged victim were for sale. I vouch that I had not passed on to him or to someone else any message on behalf of anyone. May I add that I consider such money offering to be unethical and immoral, and that I would never accept to be part of such dealings."

PHONE CALL TRANSCRIPT

(MX is the journalist Matthew Xuereb, MM is Fr Montebello)

MX?? Fr Mark?

MM?? Yes

MX? Good afternoon. It’s Matthew Xuereb from The Times. How are you?

MM?? OK, thank God

MX? I’m working on a story on Fr Charles Fenech and you were brought into the picture as the person who offered the victim money?

MM? I offered the victim money? This is good. I don’t even know the person.

MX?? We were told you spoke to Edgar Bonnici Cachia...

MM? Ah, wait. Yes. Rephrase because I think I’m misunderstanding you. Not I gave...

MX? No, you called him and told him: “Hemm sinjur li lest joffrilkom sitt figuri basta tirtiraw kollox.” That is what they are saying you said.

MM?? No, it’s not that. They offered me money?

MX? They offered you money? Why should they offer you money? They are saying that you called Edgar Cachia...

MM. ?I did not call Edgar Bonnici Cachia...he called me. That’s number one.

MX? OK, and you told him: “Hemm sinjur li lest joffrilkom sitt figuri basta tirtiraw kollox.”

MM? To the police? To Edgar? I don’t think we are understanding each other. What I told Edgar is that I know of people who are saying...it’s complicated...I know people who told me that someone told them to call the victim because they know them and tell her that there will be this exchange of money. Am I getting through?