World | Philippines
Priest accused of rape
A 25-year-old woman accused a Catholic parish priest of raping her in Iloilo, central Philippines, a local paper said.
- By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:00 February 24, 2007
Manila: A 25-year-old woman accused a Catholic parish priest of raping her in Iloilo, central Philippines, a local paper said.
Nene (not her real name), claimed the priest allegedly raped her twice in February, first, when she tried to end their relationship which began in January, and second, when she tried to tell his relatives about what happened between them, the Inquirer said.
In a four-page affidavit which the woman filed before the prosecutor's office of Iloilo, the woman said the priest, whose name was not also disclosed, courted her, sent text messages and called her through her mobile phone immediately after they were introduced by a friend who was also the priest's relative.
After a month, the priest said he wanted to have children by her. He promised to leave his vocation and marry her after a year, the woman said in her affidavit of complaint.
Conscience
When the priest invited her to his house in another town in Iloilo on February 1, she decided to end their relationship because she was bothered by her conscience, she said.
However, the priest did not agree with her. He forced her to slap him on the face. Then he grabbed her hands and threw her on his bed where she was raped, she said.
On February 6, she returned to the priest's house to tell his mother about being raped. She did not find the priest's mother, and he, in turn, raped her again.
On the same day, she went back to the priest's house but the priest manhandled her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about what happened between them
"All she wants is justice for what had happened to her," said her lawyer.
Ryan Teves, head of the Archdiocese of Jaro, said his church would not yet issue a statement on the case. The priest was assigned to one of the towns in Iloilo City.
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