A U.S. based organization called BishopAccountability.org created an online platform that lists 82 Filipino Roman Catholic priests who faced sexual abuse charges with children faced by the Filipino clergy members. The watchdog group called this situation a “culture of silence” displayed by Filipino bishops.
The accusations against seven bishops and their fellow clergy members exist throughout two decades yet Philippine courts have not secured any convictions. The database maintains information which includes names and photos along with abuse details in a manner comparable to monitoring processes occurring in the U.S., Argentina, Chile and Ireland.
Watchdog director Anne Barrett Doyle spoke out in criticism of the Philippine Church secrecy. At a Manila press conference she declared “All bishops in the Philippines maintain a belief in their right to protect these accused priests.” Church officials should face prosecution for their negligent act of not reporting alleged abuse incidents according to her statement.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ leader Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David supported the Church’s position while acknowledging that an office exists to safeguard children and make abuse reports to the Vatican. The watchdog organization emphasizes that weak external pressures including suits and government inquiries combined with media scrutiny continue to affect the world’s third-largest Catholic nation.
Several pastors accused of misconduct were returned to position even though they retained the ability to come into contact with prospective victim groups. A victim present at the event expressed their agony by saying “The trauma we experience extends until death yet our abusers walk free into their retirement without justice being served.”
The organization believes 82 named clerics represent just a small fraction of the actual problem and demands immediate action to resolve the crisis.
