Priest nabbed for alleged molestation of 16-year-old in Cagayan

A priest in Cagayan Valley has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 16-year-old girl and threatening to upload her sensitive videos if she refused his demands.

According to John Consulta’s report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, operatives of the National Bureau Investigation-Cagayan Valley Regional Office apprehended the suspect identified as Father Karole Reward Israel.

NBI said Israel threatened to upload sensitive videos of her, which he took surreptitiously.

The priest and the teenager met at a church in Solana, Cagayan, where he allegedly courted her in secret.

“Itong pangyayaring ito with the victim ay nangyari po more or less 20 time sa iba't ibang lugar," NBI deputy spokesperson Atty. Gertrude Paris Manandeg said.

"Nangyari ito sa motel, hotel, sa kotse at base po sa statement ng victim minsan nangyari po ito sa kumbento mismo,” she added.

(This incident with the victim happened more or less 20 times in different places. It happened in a motel, hotel, in a car and based on the victim's statement, sometimes it happened in the convent itself.)

“May mga nakitang mga files din, mga videos itong subject kasama ang pito na biktima pa na may mga sexual encounters po sila. Ibig sabihin lang po nito, hindi lamang ang ating biktima ‘yung naging sangkot sa posibleng pananakot ng ating subject,” Manandeg said.

(We also found files and videos with seven other victims who had sexual encounters with the subject. It just means that our victim is not the only one involved in the possible threat of our subject.)

The mother’s victim demanded justice for her daughter.

“Hustiya po para makamtan namin. Makulong na lang po at matanggal sa pagka-pari, sir. Pagkatapos ng ginawa niya sa bata, sir, wala na siyang Karapatan na maging pari,” the mother said.

(We want justice. Sir, we want him to be in jail and be removed from the priesthood. After what he did to the child, sir, he no longer has the right to be a priest.)

GMA News tried to get a reaction from Israel after he was released on bail. However, until now, he had not given any statement on the matter.

According to a statement of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, the suspect is one of its priests.

The archdiocese said Israel had been removed from priestly duties in his parish while the investigation was ongoing.

It added that it was ready to cooperate with the authorities regarding the case and to provide help to the victim if the allegation would be proven.

Manandeg called on other victims to file a complaint against Israel.

“Tinatawagan po natin o hininingi natin sa iba pa na posibleng naging biktima na dumulog sa NBI, magsampa po ng kaso laban po sa ating subject,” Manandeg said.

(We are calling or asking others who may have been victims to come to the NBI and file a case against our subject.) —Mel Matthew Doctor/NB, GMA News