MANILA, Philippines -- Police are investigating a Catholic priest based in Bontoc, Mountain Province after he was accused of sexually assaulting a teenaged girl several times.
Fr. Gabriel Madangeng Jr. of Sta. Rita parish allegedly raped and assaulted his ward, who was 15 years old two years ago, in the parish convent, the secretariat of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) disclosed Tuesday.
According to the CBCP, Madangeng is facing seven counts of indecent assault that happened between August to December 2006.
The girl, now 17 years old, said she did not report the incident to authorities and her parents in 2006 because she was afraid that Madangeng would stop paying for her tuition.
This was the second time that Madangeng has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenager. Last year, a 15-year-old girl filed rape charges against the priest in a local court.
Because of the first case, Madangeng has been placed on a "floating status" pending the investigation of Church officials.
The priest, however, strongly denied raping or assaulting the teenager, whom he accused of making up stories.
“I am a man of cloth and I could not have committed the alleged acts which are in total violation of my vocation,†he said.
“The charges hurled against me are without basis and false and are being made by the complainant to mitigate any reaction which her parents would have against her after she was discovered to have been dating a man in Bontoc,†he added.
The Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe, which has jurisdiction on the accused, has not yet issued any statement on the matter.(Inquirer.Net)
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