Pampanga pastor warns vs. fake priest

Catholics in Pampanga may have to be wary of a fake priest making the rounds of the San Fernando archdiocese.

San Fernando Archbishop Florentino Lavarias warned against dealing with a certain “Fr. Jose Mark Robinson Bunag.”

Lavarias, in a circular dated Nov. 29, said Bunag is not permitted to celebrate the Sacraments in the Archdiocese of San Fernando, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said.

"While Bunag claims to be a priest of the 'Catholic Church of the East,' Lavarias stresses the former is not a validly ordained member of the Roman Catholic clergy," the CBCP said.

The CBCP said Bunag had also been spotted in Cavite and in Parañaque City, allegedly offering to say Mass in private homes without a valid celebret.

A celebret is a document certifying the bearer is a priest and may be allowed to practice as such in the particular diocese he is in.

Earlier, the Pasig Diocese similarly warned against Bunag in a separate circular indicating the Catholic Church of the East (Holy Family Catholic Church) in Imus, Cavite said Bunag is not a validly ordained priest. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News