A women's group has called on Catholic Church officials to apologize to the families of two girls who were allegedly abused by a priest in Mt. Province. The Innabuyog-Gabriela asked the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines to punish Fr. Gabriel Madangeng Jr., of the Bontoc-Lagawe vicariate, who was charged with six counts of rape and 10 counts of acts of lasciviousness by two minors last year.
Madangeng was head priest of the Sta. Rita Parish Church in Bontoc, Mt. Province.
Vernie Diano, chairperson of Innabuyog-Gabriela, asked the Catholic priests to break their silence over the rape cases involving Madangeng.
"There is no excuse for them to make any cover-up. Considering the trauma that the victims continue to undergo, we urge the vicariate to apologize to the victims, their families and the congregation as part of the healing process," Diano said.
She also asked the vicariate to suspend Madangeng.
She made the call on Tuesday, two years after a 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by Madangeng at the Natonin Mission Convent in Natonin, Mt. Province.
Another 16-year-old girl was allegedly abused by the priest on Aug. 3, 2006, and Dec. 11, 2006, at the Sta. Rita Parish Church in Bontoc.
Bishop Rodolfo Beltran, vicar apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe vicariate, said they would only apologize to the victims' families if the court finds Madangeng guilty.
He said he suspended Madangeng in February last year when the charges were filed.
"I told Madangeng that he had to face all the charges against him. I wanted him to defend himself," Beltran said.
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