A Vatican congregation investigating allegations against Bacani found that evidence against him was weak and that the case was not strong enough to merit his dismissal, said Marbel, South Cotabato Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, chairman of the social arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace.
"The Vatican believed that there was kissing and hugging but it is not enough grounds to convict him (of the sexual harassment charges)," Gutierrez told reporters on the sidelines of a gathering of Asian Christian Bishops and Muslim Ulamas in Manila.
But activist-priest Fr. Robert Reyes, one of the first to help the complainant file the case with the Apostolic Nuncio, doubted the reported acquittal because there was no official announcement yet from the Vatican’s representative to the country.
It is the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Franco, who is expected to know first and inform the local priesthood, if he so desires, of the decision, Reyes said.
CBCP sources also said they have never heard of such a report.
The Holy See’s envoy to Manila in June relieved Bacani of his administrative duties after his secretary of five years claimed that he had sexually harassed her.
Bacani, one of the most prominent Church leaders in the country, had denied the allegations but apologized for what he called "inappropriate expression of affection" to the secretary.
Gutierrez said yesterday a priest from Rome who is privy to the investigation had told him that the Vatican found the complaint lacked merit.
Gutierrez said the decision had not yet been announced, but stressed "according to my informants, he was acquitted."
A spokesman for Bacani said he was unaware of any decision on the bishop’s case.
Allegations of sexual misconduct have hounded the Philippine Catholic church, forcing religious leaders last year to issue a blanket apology and promise reforms.
The church also admitted that some 200 priests had been investigated for sexual misconduct over the past 20 years. Some of them were dismissed, while most resigned voluntarily.
Bacani left the Philippines for the United States soon after the allegations were made public. — AFP, Jose Aravilla