CBCP seals its lips on Butuan priest's pending rape charges

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) declined to comment any further on the pending court cases of rape and child abuse against a priest assigned in the Diocese of Butuan in northeastern Mindanao. Outgoing CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura said a court has already given the accused, Fr. Raul Cabonce, a chance to explain his side of the story. “Since it was brought to court already, the most prudent thing to do is to wait for the decision of the court. The CBCP as a Church body would have to respect the forum of the civil court which is a State body," Figura said, in an article posted on the CBCP news site Friday night. Also on Friday, the women's rights and welfare group Gabriela demanded that the CBCP intervene in the case. They accompanied the alleged victim, identified only by the assigned alias ‘Leah’ and together, they present a letter of appeal to the CBCP. Figura said CBCP intervention is not possible at this time considering the pending court proceedings and that the Butuan Diocese is already having its own investigation. Figura also said Cabonce should be tried before the diocese's Tribunal of First Instance before the case could even be elevated to the National Tribunal of Appeals. Figura added the CBCP must also respect the prerogatives of Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos' authority “because he has his own power and authority over his own territory." “The CBCP is an organization without prejudice to their power and authority in their respective dioceses. So the CBCP cannot tell them what to do and what not to do," said Figura. Cabonce had denied the accusations and appealed to the public to “check on the background of the family of the victim before judging me." Accuser goes to CBCP The 18-year-old girl who had accused Cabonce of molesting her went to the CBCP office in Intramuros, Manila Friday, accompanied by Gabriela officials. In a two-page letter addressed to CBCP vice president and incoming president Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, they sought the CBCP's "immediate action." “Knowing well that your pastoral action and intervention could make a lot of difference for Leah’s and other victims’ journey towards justice, we appeal for your immediate action," they said. “It was very difficult for her to accept that Fr. Cabonce, a servant of God, and with whom her mother worked as catechist for five years, would become her sexual abuser," they added. Signing the letter were Gabriela Secretary General Lana Linaban, Ecumenical Women’s Forum co-convenor Carmencita Karagdag and Sr. Mary John Mananzan, chairperson of Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in the Philippines. — ELR, GMA News