CBCP chief warns faithful vs. another fake priest

The head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines is warning the public against a fake priest who he said is offering to say Mass in exchange for money.

CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said they have sought police assistance against one Right Reverend Eduardo Roxas.

“Please be informed that we have sought the assistance of the Philippine National Police in Mangaldan to apprehend a certain Right Reverend Eduardo Roxas who has been going around the barangays of Mangaldan and Manaoag offering to celebrate Masses in private homes,” he said in a May 13 circular, the CBCP news site said Sunday.

Villegas urged Catholics to "report to the Chancery in case he is seen presenting himself as a Catholic priest.”

The CBCP noted Roxas is not the first so-called “phony pastors” going around and offering to administer sacraments in exchange for cash.

Recently, the CBCP said San Pablo (Laguna) diocese banned one Fr. Michael P. Caadan, who was last seen May 8 presiding over a funeral Mass in Cubao diocese, the CBCP said.

In 2013, it said military bishop Leopoldo Tumulak warned against one Crisanto Bantigue, who he said pretended to be a military chaplain or monsignor, and using the diocese’s name to solicit money.

Then newly installed San Fernando Archbishop Florentino Lavarias in 2013 also issued an advisory against one Fr. Jose Mark Robinson Bunag, who claimed to be a priest of the “Catholic Church of the East.” — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News