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	Girl Recalls First Time Priest 'Raped' Her Sun.Star [Philippines] May 3, 2006 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2006/05/03/ girl.recalls.first.time.priest.raped.her.html CEBU CITY -- With the priest she accused of raping her only a few feet away, an 18-year-old woman narrated before an investigating panel the first incident that allegedly happened last July 22, 2005. She said the abuse happened two more times. It was the first time Fr. Jose "Joey" Belcina, parish priest of Barangay Maslog, Danao City, and the woman faced each other since the case made headlines. The closed-door clarificatory hearing Tuesday was held inside the office of Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane, who heads the investigating team along with Edgardo Montenegro and Lineth Lapinid. Belcina, who is on leave from his parish, was accompanied by his lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu. The woman was assisted by her lawyer Chezee Demegillo from the Legal Alternative for Women (Law) Inc. The media were banned from covering the hearing, which lasted close to three hours. When Belcina came out of the office, his supporters immediately approached the priest and either hugged or patted him on the back. His supporters traveled all the way from Danao, which is about 33 kilometers north of Cebu. Among them were three girls whom Belcina sponsored individual scholarships. The 36-year-old priest opted not to give any comments to the media, but Dalawampu did not think twice. She questioned the credibility of the complainant. Dalawampu said the woman told the panel that after she was raped, she then went to the plaza to be with her boyfriend until 10 p.m. "We just find that testimony contrary to natural reaction. Would you go out on a date with your boyfriend after you were raped?" Dalawampu asked. She also asked why the woman failed to immediately report the incident. Also, Dalawampu noted that the Sunday after the woman was allegedly raped, the woman went back to the parish church to hear mass that Belcina officiated and she even asked for her allowance. The woman's lawyer declined to comment on the hearing. He just accompanied her as she was rushed out of Gubalane's office. Belcina will be presented during the next clarificatory hearing on May 9. (JGA of Sun.Star Cebu)
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