CEBU CITY (PHILIPPINES)
Cebu Daily News [Cebu City, Philippines]
January 30, 2025
By Morexette Marie B. Erram
The names of at least 10 priests assigned in Cebu, both past and present, appeared in the latest database of clerics accused of sexual abuse.
Nonprofit organization BishopAccountability released its Philippine database of priests on Wednesday, January 29. The list includes both living and deceased clergy linked to allegations of sexual abuse—ranging from rape to acts of lasciviousness.
The group identified a total of 82 priests and brothers in the country, including foreign priests assigned here, who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing minors.
Of this number, 10 have served in the ‘Cebu archdiocese’, and at least three remain in active ministry, according to BishopAccountability.
They are Fathers Jose “Joey” Belciña, Benedicto “Ben” Ejares, and Prudencio Operiano.
The Archdiocese of Cebu confirmed the findings. However, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma assured Catholics that the three active priests had undergone due process before returning to service.
“On this note, we attest that of the names listed, only three are identified as incardinated in the archdiocese and have already been reintegrated into active ministry today. This is because they have gone through the required legal and canonical processes in the past and have been determined by competent civil and ecclesiastical authorities as fit to return to active ministry, but with continued guidance and supervision,” Palma said.
Palma on accused Cebu priests: ‘They were cleared to return to ministry’
Active cases
According to BishopAccountability, Belciña was charged with rape in 2006; Ejares with lascivious conduct in 2006; and Operiano with molestation in 2015.
The group reported that Belciña was in active ministry as of January 2025 at San Isidro Labrador Parish in Cebu.
In 2007, a year after the case was filed, the rape and child abuse charges were dropped, with Belciña’s accuser citing “reasons of reconciliation and peace.”
Meanwhile, Ejares, accused in 2006 of lascivious conduct toward seven female high school students while hearing their confessions at a Life in the Spirit Seminar at Abellana National High School, was affiliated with the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi in Naga City as of 2020.
The charges against him were dismissed in 2008.
As of December 2024, Operiano was actively serving at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City.
He was about to face charges of acts of lasciviousness under the Special Child Protection Law in 2015. During this time, he remained in ministry while the Archdiocese conducted its own investigation.
The alleged abuse happened in December 2014 at St. Raphael Archangel Parish in Aloguinsan, Cebu, where two choir members accused him of molestation.
One girl claimed he first embraced and kissed her near his car before asking her and her cousin to follow him.
“Sources vary as to whether one or both of the girls were molested. No information was found on the outcome of the investigation,” the report stated.
Database of accused clergy
However, none of the 82 clergy members, including seven bishops, listed in the new BishopAccountability.org online database have been convicted in a Philippine court.
The Philippines, the world’s third-largest Roman Catholic nation, has long been silent on sexual abuse by clergy, especially in rural areas where priests are revered.
Cebu, where Catholicism was first established in 1521, is currently the largest diocese in the country.
The database—the first of its kind in the Philippines—includes photos, names, and details of alleged sexual abuse cases, some dating back more than 20 years.
The nonprofit has also created similar databases on Catholic clergy abuse in the U.S., Argentina, Chile, and Ireland.
Anne Barrett Doyle, a director at BishopAccountability.org, criticized Philippine bishops for their silence, saying it enabled abuse.
She urged Philippine prosecutors to investigate church officials who failed to report cases of abuse.
Catholic Church’s response
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, a leader in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), stated that the CBCP has established an office to safeguard minors and vulnerable adults and report abuse cases to the Vatican.
“Our mandate from Rome is to take the issue of accountability very seriously, especially in cases involving priests,” David said, without elaborating.
Meanwhile, Palma reassured devotees in Cebu that the church would continue prioritizing the safety and welfare of youth, especially those working within the church.
“The archdiocese has always been proactive in safeguarding minors and vulnerable adults,” Palma said.
He also highlighted Cebu’s Safeguarding Ministry, established in 2019—the first in the Philippines.
“Additionally, members of the clergy in the Archdiocese of Cebu are required to undergo annual and mandatory safeguarding training to remain in active service,” Palma added.
Despite these controversies, Palma expressed hope that the Catholic faithful would remain committed to their faith.
“To remain fully human is to embrace faith and confidence in our ability to recover from crises. We do not face challenges alone; we move forward as a community seeking redemption. In this sense, we are all pilgrims of hope,” Palma concluded. — with reports from the Associated Press