CBCP: Only Pope can sanction bishop in sex scandal

He cannot be sanctioned by lesser authorities.

Not even the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) can sanction resigned Antipolo Bishop Crisostomo Yalung of any allegations of "wrongdoing," newly installed Antipolo Bishop Garbiel Reyes said yesterday.

"The CBCP has no such jurisdiction (over the Yalung case)," Reyes said in a telephone interview with The STAR. "Only the Vatican (can do that)."

Reyes also said a bishop is under the direct jurisdiction of the Vatican and he is answerable to the Holy See.

The new Antipolo bishop added he has no direct knowledge about the Yalung case and the residents of Antipolo have already urged him not to discuss the matter. Reyes was installed as bishop of the Antipolo diocese on Jan. 19.

Though he is hesitant to say more, Reyes said the Catholic church has "taken steps to correct the mistakes" and declined to specify what these measures are.

The Diocese of Antipolo has already issued a statement that "Yalung has acknowledged his mistakes, expressed sorrow for them, acted to rectify his wrong-doing and is making amends for whatever harm he may have caused to those concerned."

It is now up to Yalung and those concerned, Reyes said, to resolve the problems spawned by Yalung’s reported love affair with a confessant which allegedly resulted in his fathering a child by her.

Meanwhile, sources said that an e-mail message is already circulating regarding information about the Yalung controversy.

The e-mail, sources said, has been sent to Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, the Papal Nuncio’s office and CBCP president and Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo.

The e-mail message also reportedly provides background information on the woman Yalung allegedly had an affair with.

Yalung is now in the United States and resigned from the Diocese of Antipolo on Dec. 7, 2002 "due to personal reasons." He left for the US to shield the Church from further shame and scandal, a ranking Church official said.

His departure will also give Vatican investigators a free hand in looking into his case.

In a related development, the CBCP has announced that it will be finishing the draft of the pastoral guidelines on sexual misconduct in July.

"Our deadline (is still) July ,"Quevedo said. "Between now and July, more work on the draft on the pastoral guidelines of the sexual misconduct of clergy and religious will take place." More consultations and refinements of the draft will be made in the meantime, he added.

The guidelines will discuss the possible kinds of sexual misconduct that could take place among the clergy and the religious, Quevedo said. "With that of the diocesan clergy, the basic elements of the draft are there, in the substantive type. A lot of refining, revising also, (is needed) so that the pastoral guidelines will be in harmony with civil law and Church law."

The CBCP will also be looking after the welfare of both parties involved in such misconduct, Quevedo added. "That is a lot of work, a lot of consultation and a lot of professionals, lay professionals, are involved in these consultations."

The Vatican has ordered the CBCP not to discuss the Yalung case due to the numerous sex scandals that rocked the Catholic Church early last year.

A source said the CBCP hierarchy have received orders from Papal Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Franco’s office to "wash their hands of it." The Papal Nuncio is the Vatican’s ambassador to the Philippines.