In December 2022, Harriet Demetriou a devotee of the Vatican unrecognized Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace apparition filed a criminal case against exorcist priest Winston Cabading for offending religious feelings a violation under the Revised Penal Code. This complaint was made over his prior statements referencing the Marian apparition in a conference and an online show which the complainant is convinced to be a mockery against the devotion.
 Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace image at a chapel in Lipa, Batangas. | |
| Date | December 9, 2022 (case filed) |
|---|---|
| Type | Criminal lawsuit |
| Motive | Statements regarding the Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace |
| Participants | Harriet Demetriou (complainant) |
| Arrests | Winston Cabading (released on bail) |
| Charges | Offending religious feelings |
| Verdict | Pending |
The priest was arrested in May 2023 but was later released on bail. In August 29, 2023, the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City found no offense committed. The court had not dismissed the case outright and has asked Demetriou to revise information in her lawsuit within 30 days.
Background edit
Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace edit
The offending religious feelings case involves the Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace a Marian apparition believed by some faithful to have occurred in 1948. According to believers Mary, mother of Jesus appeared before Teresita Castillo a Carmelite postulant in Lipa, Batangas.[1]
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Holy See has ruled in 1951 that there is nothing miraculous regarding the apparition. The decision was approved by Pope Pius XII and church leaders has continued on insisting on this position. Nevertheless, the Marian apparition still continued to have a following.[1]
The reported Lipa apparition has long been a source of tension between the Catholic Church hierarchy and the devotees of what they call “Our Lady of Lipa.” Church leaders have repeatedly said nothing is miraculous about the 1948 apparition, but devotees like Demetriou have questioned such statements by bishops and priests.
Parties edit
The complainant of the offending religious feelings case, Harriet Demetriou is a former Commission on Elections chair, a retired judge who worked for the Sandiganbayan and a devotee of the Marian apparition.[2]
The sued party is Winston I. Cabading, a Roman Catholic priest and an exorcist under the Archdiocese of Manila.[2] He is also a theologian and part of the Dominican Order.[1]
Case edit
| People of the Philippines vs. Winston Cabading | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Court | Regional Trial Court National Capital Judicial Region |
| Full case name | People of the Philippines vs. Winston I. Cabading |
| Decided | August 29, 2023 |
| Citation(s) | CRIM. R-QZN-23-04124-CR |
| Case opinions | |
| No offense found. For possible amendment of the charge by the complainant | |
| Decision by | Madonna Echiverri |
Arguments edit
In December 9, 2022, Harriet Demetriou would file a criminal lawsuit against exorcist priest Winston Cabading for "offending religious feelings" under the Revised Penal Code (RPC). She argued that Cabading, who she characterize as a "rabid critic" of the Marian apparition has made statements that would fulfill two of the following conditions for an offending religious feelings offense:[1][3]
- that the acts complained of were performed either in a place devoted to religious (sic) or during the celebration of any religious ceremony
- that the acts must be notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful.
She took note on Cabading's statement at the 4th National Conference on the Ministry of Spiritual Liberation and Exorcism held in August 2019 on "how demons can appear to be holy". She inferred that it is an implicit reference to the Mediatrix of All Grace, a conclusion she holds would not need a "scholarly approach" to arrive to.[1]
Demetriou also cited a May 28, 2022 episode of an online show featuring Brother Wendell Talibong. Fragrant oil that reportedly flows from a certain statue of the Mediatrix of Grace became a subject matter and the question if the oil was scientifically examined raised. Cabading's response was displayed "the statue is a Lipa statue, therefore, already suspect."[1]
Demetriou argues that the conference constitute as a religious ceremony.[1] Cabading dissents stating that the quoted statements were not made in place of worship or a religious ceremony as required in the RPC.[4]
The case was filed in the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 81. His arraignment was scheduled on June 1, 2023[5] The procedure was later postponed to August 1.[6]
Arrest and status of Cabading edit
RTC 81 Judge Madonna Echiverri would issue a warrant of arrest against Cabading on May 8, 2023. The priest would be arrested on May 13 at the St. Magdalene House in Nasugbu, Batangas[5] but would later post bail and granted provisional liberty on May 15.[6]
The court tagged Cabading as a low flight risk taking note that he have returned to the Philippines in June 13 after an overseas trip made after he posted bail.[7]
Findings edit
On August 29, 2023, RTC 81 found no offense committed and gave Demetriou 30 days to amend the information on her criminal charge against Cabading. The court noted that there was no object of veneration was damaged or destroyed by Cabading and that there was no "religious ceremony to speak of". It also stated that Cabading's statement were "not of his own but he was merely echoing what 'the Vatican said' or based on the dogma of the church". If the charge was not revised, the case could be dismissed.[4]
On January 24, 2024, Makati Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Crystal Dei Embido-Buenaventura dismissed the Perjury case (Mediatrix of All Grace offending religious feelings case) for "insufficiency of evidence, since her complaint has no basis and there is no proof or document to support her claims."[8]
Reactions edit
Roman Catholic Church edit
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David claimed responsibility believing the case and arrest of Cabading to be "indicative of our shortcomings as Church leaders in facilitating dialogue" and expressed disheartenment and perplexment over the legal case which has Catholics on both sides. The CBCP added that the issue caused "a scandal to the faithful" and has begged forgiveness from its constituents.[9]
CBCP furthermore issued a certificate of good standing on May 31, 2023 for Cabading affirming his positive stature within the church and that he is not under investigation by the body.[6]
The Philippine Association of Catholic Exorcists has backed Cabading on his case with Demetriou, as well as the Archdiocese of Manila's Commission on Extraordinary Phenomena and Office of Exorcism. Several laity groups have also expressed support for Cabading.[10]
On March 19, 2024, in a circular, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa stated that "the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith upon the fervent request of Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, revealed the 1951 decree rejecting ‘Lipa apparition’.The letter “in which Sister Mother Mary Cecilia of Jesus, OCD, then the superior of the convent where the known events occurred, confessed guiltily to having deceived the faithful about the alleged apparitions in Lipa and consequently asked for forgiveness” said Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández who further stressed that “This fact definitively and directly confirms the non-supernatural nature of the events in Lipa.”[11] ‘Give me the document, let me examine it. If it’s valid, if it’s really authentic, then I will submit myself. Who am I to fight the Pope?’ Harriet Demetriou told Rappler.[12]
However, “The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has deemed it necessary to ‘revisit the case’ (not reopen investigation) because, as admitted by the 2015 letter sent by Cardinal Müller, some lapses in the communication of Rome’s decision had been committed in the process,” in a surprise turnaround CBCP president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David told Rappler.[13]
Other reactions edit
Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution called for the abolishment of the "offending religious feelings" provision from the Revised Penal Code in response to the case believing it to "too overbroad" and was a "throwback to the age of Church intolerance and oppression" which prevailed in the Spanish colonial era. The latest effort to repeal the provision in the Congress was by then Senator Leila de Lima in 2019, a year after activist Carlos Celdran was convicted for his 2010 "Damaso" stunt to protest the Roman Catholic church's stance on the Reproductive Health Bill.[14]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g "Why an exorcist priest was arrested for 'offending religious feelings'". Rappler. May 24, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
- ^ a b Villanueva, Ralph Edwin (December 13, 2022). "Ex-poll chief Demetriou files raps vs exorcist priest". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Macairan, Evelyn. "Priest: No basis for charge of offending religious feelings". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
- ^ a b Navallo, Mike (September 4, 2023). "Court: No offense alleged in 'offending religious feelings' case vs exorcist priest". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Tupas, Emmanuel (May 24, 2023). "Priest's arraignment set for offending religious feelings". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c Casilao, Joahna Lei (June 1, 2023). "Exorcist priest arraignment postponed to August — group". GMA News. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Torres-Tupas, Tetch (September 4, 2023). "QC court allows exorcist priest to travel abroad; tells prosecutors to amend case". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Lopez, Rommel (January 24, 2024). "Perjury case by retired justice vs Dominican exorcist junked". The Philippine Star.
- ^ Ombay, Giselle (May 28, 2023). "CBCP takes blame for exorcist priest's case, begs forgiveness". GMA News Online. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ De Villa, Kathleen (May 27, 2023). "Laity groups, clergy rally behind arrested exorcist". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Esmaquiel II, Paterno (March 19, 2024). "Vatican reveals 1951 decree rejecting 'Lipa apparition'". Rappler. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Esmaquiel II, Paterno (March 20, 2024). "Not so fast, ex-justice warns exorcist on Lipa apparition decree". Rappler. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Esmaquel, Paterno (March 22, 2024). "CBCP plans to 'revisit,' not reopen, Lipa apparition case". Rappler. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
- ^ Cabristante, Raffy (May 30, 2023). "Calls to revoke religious feelings offense renewed after case vs. priest". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 7, 2023.