A Catholic bishop based in Biliran dismissed allegations that he molested a former missionary.Bishop Filomeno Bactol of the Diocese of Naval said that he never molested the former missionary and other men.
The allegations were contained in an e-mail from Stephen Michael Greinke, a former missionary of the diocese.
Father Benjamin Pantas, the diocese's media liaison officer, said that Greinke's allegations were false.
Pantas said that Greinke was the one accused of molesting members of his congregation in Naval back in 2000.
Pantas showed a document with the testimonies of men who were allegedly abused by Greinke.
Pantas also said that Bactol decided not to face the media because the former missionary's accusation had no basis.
Greinke's accusations against the bishop were the same ones he faced before, said Pantas.
According to the document shown by Pantas, the accusations against Greinke became the basis of a pedophilia case filed by the Bureau of Immigration against him.
This case gave way for his deportation. His missionary visa was also canceled. He was also placed on the immigration blacklist.
Documents from the mother congregation of Greinke acquired by the diocese also showed that he was suffering from a mental disorder during that period.
The Diocese of Naval said that Greinke's accusations are false. It said that Greinke was actually the subject of a sexual abuse complaint.
Bactol, meanwhile, said he has no plans of filing a complaint against Greinke.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce